Protecting The Mentally Disabled From Abuse

New York’s Newsdayrecently reported that “An Elmont man has been charged with abusing three developmentally disabled men in his care at a facility run by a Queens Village nonprofit”—according to state officials. “Dandy Theodore, 29, is accused of punching the three men in August at an undisclosed rehabilitation facility, according to a statement from the state Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.”

Dandy has since been fired from his job and is being prosecuted. Prosecutor Patricia E. Gunning said in a news release, “Individuals receiving services deserve to feel safe and be treated with dignity and respect. The Justice Center and the District Attorneys of this state will prosecute staff, like this defendant who abuse the people who they have been entrusted to care for.”

This, by the way, is not an isolated incident. Situations such as this happen daily around the world and many go unnoticed, because the victims are unable to tell someone—because they have no one in their life to tell, because the abuser has threatened to do worse, or because they are unable to tell of their horrifying experience due to their mental capacity.

The disabled deserve as much protection as the elderly and the young—no doubt about it—but they don’t always get it. So what can you do if you have a disabled loved one who is being cared for by someone other than yourself? There are several options out there and we recommend you do all of them:

1. Talk and Listen: Depending on the level of your loved one’s disability, talking to them about abuse and what they should do if they experience it may vary—but we highly recommend you try and discuss it with them as much as possible and remember to listen well.
2. Visit Often: If your disabled family member goes to or is housed in a facility for those with special needs, you should visit the establishment—often. Yes, you will most likely not see any signs of abuse—hopefully because there is none to be had—but by being present more often than not, you are establishing that you care and are paying attention. This will hopefully keep any wrong-doers on their toes.
3.  Install Nanny Cams: Whether they’re in your home or another, you can keep your eye on your loved one by installing nanny cams throughout. That may not be as easy in a care facility, but you should try. Nanny cams don’t catch everything, but they do catch some.
4.  Provide a Cell Phone with a Spy App: Again, depending on your loved one’s level of disability, this option may not work—but if it can, the providence of a cell phone is a great step toward protecting them wherever they go. A smartphone allows them to contact you whenever they need and will make you feel at ease knowing that you can do the same. But take it one more step and install a good cell phone spy app on the device. Now you're probably wondering how to spy on a cell phone remotely since you can't be with them at all times. A reliable spy app will allow you to activate the microphone and camera to surveil your loved one’s environment. It will also let you monitor the calls and texts to make sure the care worker is not using the device. In addition, it can help you track the phone via GPS if your disabled family member wanders off. You might be intrigued by all the cell phone spy software free download options out there, but trust me, Auto Forward spy software is worth the money! Concentrate on spy on a cell phone free of any sort of worry that your loved one will be hurt.