Soumitra Sarkar
Faculty, Department of Sociology, Kabi Sukanta Mahavidyalaya, Bhadreswar [email protected]
DOI:
Abstract
The surveillance technology currently being used in nursing homes raises some serious ethical questions. In particular, the freedom, privacy and consent of the elderly are key issues. In West Bengal, where the elderly are increasingly dependent on nursing homes, this digital surveillance is raising serious issues of human dignity, power and commercialisation of services. The main objectives of this study are to execute the types of surveillance technologies employed in old age homes in West Bengal, to explore the experiences and comprehension of elderly residents regarding digital surveillance, to evaluate the ethical implications related to consent and privacy, and to examine the influence of capitalist principles on caregiving through technological interventions. A qualitative approach for this study is taken, where 50 elderly residents, 10 caregivers and 10 administrators from 10 nursing homes in Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly were interviewed. The data was analysed using grounded theory. Research has shown that surveillance devices such as CCTV cameras, health monitoring apps, and digital health gadgets – while used in the name of safety and security often infringe on people’s freedoms. Older adults are often not properly informed and feel uncomfortable being constantly monitored. As corporate investors turn the service into a business, surveillance has become a means of control rather than assistance. These policies are not being implemented properly, and there is little government oversight.
Keywords: Elderly monitoring, digital ethics, consent, senior living facilities, capitalist caregiving
KISS International Journal of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability (KIJEIS) 2025 Jul, Vol.1 (2): 69 – 79