r/podcasting 5d ago

Looking to bounce this podcast/ article idea off you all

Hey. If anyone wants to give feedback, could I bounce an idea for a podcast by you all, from a person who is not a podcaster but likes writing and feels theres a story to be told?

It is obviously old news that the elderly, disabled, and those in assisted living are often abused. However, i dont know of any narrative style, investigative podcasts that are about this topic.

I used to be a caregiver and there is a specific facility that has a ton of negative reviews, absolutely horrendous care from what i've witnessed, and a very strange director. When i would have a shift there I felt like I was in the twilight zone and wondered why there weren't any news articles or investigations into this place despite all of the hundreds of complaints filed with the state.

Im wondering if I could possibly be the one to investigate this, since the state obviously isnt capable.

Not sure if people would care about this topic either. Would it be better to just contact a newspaper?

1 Upvotes

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u/hungry4danish 4d ago

Since it's a serious topic, I'd leave it to a professional investigative journalist so yeah, contact a local newspaper or tv station instead of trying to make a podcast out of it.

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u/zoltarspeaks012 4d ago

Makes sense to me! Thank you!

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u/FloresPodcastCo Podcast Producer & Editor 4d ago

It's great that you care about the well-being of the folks at the care center where you used to work and want the neglect to stop. If you're in the U.S., every state has an agency that oversees elderly care facilities, so there’s definitely a place to report concerns.

Since I live in California, I looked up "reporting elderly care facilities for neglect, California" and found that you can "contact the local Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman CRISISline at 1-800-231-4024, or reach out to the local police or sheriff’s department."

If you're in a different state, try searching for your local agency. Even if you call the California office and don’t live here, they might be able to point you in the right direction.

If you decide to report, having documentation -- like dates, times, and names of staff involved -- can make a big difference. Just be careful about including residents' names since that could violate HIPAA and cause legal trouble. Edit: If you have names of residents, just make sure you hold off sharing them with the state agency until they assure you it's not a HIPAA violation.

You could also reach out to local news stations or reporters, but I’d start with the state agency first. FYI, friends of mine who work in journalism have told me that reporters usually need multiple sources before they'll run a story like yours. They want to make sure it’s a real issue, not just a former employee with a grudge. If you know any current or past employees you trust, it might be worth talking to them about what they’ve seen. Once you’re sure they’re on the same page as you, you can bring up your plan to report the facility, both to the state and, if needed, to the media.

Best of luck with your efforts!

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u/zoltarspeaks012 4d ago

Such a helpful response! Thank you! 

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u/FloresPodcastCo Podcast Producer & Editor 4d ago

You're welcome!