Antonio, Brenner Commend Passage of Esther's Law
May 19, 2021
Nickie J. Antonio News
Today, state Senators Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell) announced the Senate's unanimous passage of Senate Bill 58, Esther’s Law. S. B. 58 aims to mitigate instances of elder abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities by permitting electronic monitoring of residents’ rooms.
“This bill is named after Esther Piskor, who tragically passed away in a nursing home in Northeast Ohio after her son, Steve, caught health care professionals abusing her on camera,” said Antonio. “I am pleased to see this General Assembly’s dedication to protecting some of the most vulnerable Ohioans, including the elderly. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to improve our systems for elder care and the passage of this legislation is an important step towards that goal.”
Elder abuse refers to any knowing, intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any person that causes harm or serious risk of harm to a vulnerable, older adult. In state fiscal year 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, there were more than 19,000 reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation in Ohio, an increase of nearly 3,000 from the previous year.
"The idea behind this legislation is to allow families to be able to monitor their loved ones to ensure their safety and health," said Brenner. "Nursing home residents deserve to feel safe and cared for in their facilities and their families deserve the peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are safe."
S. B. 58 now heads to the Ohio House of Representatives for referral to a committee.
“This bill is named after Esther Piskor, who tragically passed away in a nursing home in Northeast Ohio after her son, Steve, caught health care professionals abusing her on camera,” said Antonio. “I am pleased to see this General Assembly’s dedication to protecting some of the most vulnerable Ohioans, including the elderly. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to improve our systems for elder care and the passage of this legislation is an important step towards that goal.”
Elder abuse refers to any knowing, intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any person that causes harm or serious risk of harm to a vulnerable, older adult. In state fiscal year 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, there were more than 19,000 reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation in Ohio, an increase of nearly 3,000 from the previous year.
"The idea behind this legislation is to allow families to be able to monitor their loved ones to ensure their safety and health," said Brenner. "Nursing home residents deserve to feel safe and cared for in their facilities and their families deserve the peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are safe."
S. B. 58 now heads to the Ohio House of Representatives for referral to a committee.