As our parents, siblings, and relatives age, we need to make sure they are well cared for. It doesn’t matter if they are being cared for at home, in your home, or in an assisted living facility, you need to make sure they are not being abused. Rest easy with a hidden Granny Cam that will be your gaze while you’re not there.

You see a lot of horror stories about people who are supposed to care for our elderly parents being caught on video stealing money or pills, physically abusing them, or simply not taking care of them enough. The question of whether you should have a Granny Cam is not necessary, you owe it to your loved ones to have one. The real question will be which one to choose? Granny Cams or Nanny Cams are just little video surveillance cameras that are hidden inside an everyday item to catch someone doing something they should or shouldn’t be doing. It then streams the video through several different methods so that it can be viewed.

You can choose color, black and white, or color that changes to black and white when it gets dark. You can add a low lux feature to help you see in the dark, and some of the wireless cameras have a high power addition that can increase the transmission distance from 700 to 3,000 feet.

There are four basic types of hidden cameras that use different ways of transmitting the video.

• wired cameras
• wireless cameras
• DVR cameras with SD card
• Secure IP cameras with Internet access

Wired cameras: Wired hidden cameras have been around the longest, are the most cost-effective, and offer very good quality. They’re little wired dash cams that sit on an everyday item that requires electricity, so a wire won’t look out of place. Typically, the item will work as intended, such as a pencil sharpener, can opener, air purifier, or fan.

They also have a male video cable adapter, so you can connect a video cable to run video streaming to a Quad, PC, or DVR. A PC with software can be configured to monitor the broadcast on the computer or over the Internet for additional costs. These work best when your parents are staying at home or at home, since the video cable could be detected in an assisted living facility.

Wireless cameras: A wireless hidden camera has an internal 2.4GHz transmitter that sends video silently over the air to a receiver, which is installed in another room. There are no hidden wires to be found, and these are some of the best hidden cameras as they can be placed inside a Pringles can, tissue dispenser, wall clock, etc. They also have internal battery packs to supply power to the camera. Since there are no protruding wires, it is very difficult to know that it is recording your every move, unless you use a hidden camera detector.

The video may have interference if you use other 2.4 GHz devices, or other receivers may touch or conflict with your signal. You can also send the video to a PC with surveillance software and monitor them from the PC, or install software that will allow you to monitor the camera from the Internet. This is a good option for home use, although if you use it in an assisted-care facility, you will need to change the batteries frequently (8 to 12 hours).

SD Card DVR Cameras – These are the next generation in hidden camera surveillance systems. They use a small internal DVR that records video directly to a hidden SD card for later playback. There are no cables or signals to discover, they are 100% autonomous. The advantage of this setup is that you can simply place an item such as a desk clock, boombox or even hang a wall clock, arm it with the key fob, and come back later to remove the SD card for viewing on a computer or TV. This is the best camera to use in an assisted living or hospital situation as no one would know that the device is recording your every move.

Secure IP cameras – If you are looking for a way to monitor your parents without having to purchase additional software or hardware, secure IP cameras offer a very easy way to monitor them over the Internet. They use your home’s electrical wires to stream the video directly to your computer, which can be accessed from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.

The camera is hidden in an everyday item, such as a desk clock or air purifier that plugs into an adapter, which plugs into a power outlet. The video is transmitted over power lines to another adapter that plugs into your computer. Using the installed software, you can see what the camera is doing at any time and you can connect up to six cameras and monitor all of them in real time.

They are best for your home or home, as the camera will need to be plugged into the wall, on a small adapter that might be noticeable. It is not recommended for assisted living as it only works in the building where the camera is located.

Here are the four ways you can monitor your parents or loved ones who need help to live. A hidden granny camera will give you peace of mind and a good night’s sleep.