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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 link to access a guide to help prevent Vulnerable Adult maltreatment. It addresses the most common elements of abuse, how to address it and how to prevent it.