Elderly Monitoring with a Nanny Camera

FEB 20

When most people think of nanny cameras, they think of a hidden camera that’s designed to monitor their kids, while they’re in the care of their babysitter or nanny. But over the last few years, many people have started to turn to nanny cameras to keep an eye on their elderly loved ones. They’ve even coined the term “granny cam” to refer to these video surveillance devices.

Granny cams can be used to periodically check in on your loved one who is living alone, or can be installed in a nursing home or assisted care facility, to ensure your loved one is being properly cared for.

Picking out a “granny cam” or nanny camera for the elderly can be tricky, as there are many devices on the market that can work for this purpose, so we’ve put together this quick guide to help you select the best nanny cam for your elderly loved one.

WiFi Streaming vs. All in One Self-Recording

When picking out a hidden camera, one of the first thing to determine is how the camera is going to operate. The two types are a Wifi streaming hidden camera, or a self-recording non-Wifi camera.

The biggest difference between these two types is that a WiFi camera connects to a WiFi network in the location the camera is placed, and streams live video to your smartphone. This type of camera is great for allowing you to check in at any time to see what’s going on. You can also set up the camera to send you motion alerts if the camera detects activity, like someone walking into the room.

WiFi streaming cameras are great, but as mentioned above, need an available WiFi network in the location the camera is placed in order for it to work. Some nursing homes or assisted care facilities do not have WiFi, or have network security set up that won’t allow devices like these to connect. So if you are thinking of placing a WiFi nanny camera or granny cam in one of those locations, double check first to ensure that it will work, otherwise you’ll need to go with a self-recording nanny cam.

What makes self-recording or “all in one” nanny cams different is that they can be used anywhere, and do not require WiFi in order to operate. They are either battery or AC powered, and record video to a memory card hidden inside the device. This makes them great for locations where there isn’t a WiFi network, but the drawback is you can’t see live video. For many situations however, simply getting a recorded copy of what happening is sufficient - for example, to prove a case of elder abuse or theft from a nursing room.

Battery or AC Powered Granny Cams

Another major consideration is whether to select a battery powered hidden camera, or an AC powered hidden camera.

Battery powered cameras are great because they are portable, and can be placed almost anywhere. They come in many different form factors, such as wall clocks, inconspicuous black boxes, and many more. The downside to battery powered hidden cameras is that they do require periodic charging of the internal batteries. This charging may need to be done every day, or every week or two, depending on the model.

AC powered hidden cameras are oftentimes a much better choice, because they are powered by a standard AC power outlet for continuous power. This means no batteries to worry about charging, since it’s drawing power from a wall outlet. Many people find this power option much more convenient, especially in situations where a nursing home or elderly loved one’s home is too far to go and charge a battery every day or week.

Night Vision vs No Night Vision

One final consideration is whether to get a nanny camera or granny cam with night vision sensors built in. Night vision sensors allow your camera to see in the dark, so even if all the lights are turned out, you can still see what’s going on.

Night vision sensors are most often built into clock cameras, and because clock cameras are often AC powered, it makes a lot of sense to go with one of those type of devices. That way, you’ll be able to see what’s going on, including identify possible theft, which often happens at night or with the lights out, so the perpetrator cannot be as easily seen.

We understand that there are a lot of devices out there to choose from, and hopefully this guide has given you a little more information about how to select the best spy camera for your needs. If you have any questions about picking out a camera, our product experts are available to help you, so feel free to contact us anytime.