My friend lives with her children and I am concerned about her health. She rarely has clean clothes to wear, she can only go out when her daughter feels it is convenient, and she isn’t receiving her insulin shots on a regular basis. What constitutes neglect of an older person?

Neglect might include

• withholding clothes, food, medication, personal care, hygiene, or medical care;
• leaving the elder person in an unsafe or isolated place;
• leaving an older adult tied to a bed or chair.

Neglect can be intentional or unintentional. Unintentional neglect can occur when a caregiver does not provide necessities because of a lack of skill, information, or interest.

It is also important to distinguish between neglect caused by someone else and self-neglect caused by the older person not taking care of him- or herself.

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January 2006

see also:

• More Abuse of Older Adults FAQs

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