Elder abuse or neglect refers to the mistreatment of a person 60 years of age or older who lives in the community. Abuse
or neglect can be any of the following:
- Abuse - physical, sexual, or emotional mistreatment and/or willful confinement.
- Neglect - the failure of a caregiver to provide the older person with the necessities of life, including but not limited to food, clothing, shelter, and medical care.
- Financial exploitation - the misuse or withholding of the older person's resources by another to the disadvantage of the older person and/or the profit of another.
- Self-neglect - the inability to perform essential self-care tasks so that the older person's own health is substantially
threatened.
