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- Definitions of Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment
Definitions of Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment
A Vulnerable Adult is someone who:
- is 18 years of age or older
- is dependent on institutional services (nursing home, hospital, home health, licensed residential facilities such as a group or foster care home) or has a physical, mental or emotional infirmity or dysfunction that requires help in caring for and protecting themselves
Abuse
- Physical or Emotional: Conduct, intended or not, that produces physical or emotional pain or injury
- Verbal: Words or gestures that threaten, harass, disparage or humiliate
- Sexual: Violation of criminal sexual conduct or prostitution statutes or sexual contact between a facility staff person and a resident of that facility
- Personal Exploitation: Forcing a Vulnerable Adult to perform services for the advantage of another
Neglect
- Failure of a caregiver to provide necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care or supervision
Self-Neglect
- Absence of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care or supervision
Financial Exploitation
- A person with legal authority makes unauthorized use of the Vulnerable Adults' resources resulting in a detriment to the Vulnerable Adult
- A person without authority uses the financial resources of a Vulnerable Adult, regardless of detriment
Please click on the following links to access guides to help prevent Vulnerable Adult maltreatment. It addresses the most common elements of abuse, how to address it and how to prevent it.