Understanding Abuse and Legal Rights in Care Settings

Abuse

Actions, or the failure to act or provide proper care for a person, resulting in unintended injury.

Active neglect

Purposeful failure to provide needed care, resulting in physical, mental, or emotional harm to a person.

Assault

A threat to harm a person, resulting in the person feeling fearful that he or she will be harmed.

Battery

The intentional touching of a person without his or her consent.

Defamation

Any statement that is not true that injures a person's reputation.

Domestic violence

Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by spouses, intimate partners, or family members.

False imprisonment

Unlawful restraint that affects a person's freedom of movement.

Financial abuse

Improper or illegal use of a person's money, possessions, property, or other assets.

Involuntary seclusion

The separation of a person from others against the person's will.

Malpractice

Professional misconduct that results in damage or injury to a person.

Negligence

Unintentional failure to provide needed care, resulting in physical, mental, or emotional harm to a person.

Passive neglect

Failure to provide needed care, resulting in physical, mental, or emotional harm to a person.

Physical abuse

Actions that cause physical harm to a person.

Psychological abuse

Emotional harm caused by threatening, frightening, isolating, intimidating, humiliating, or insulting a person.

Sexual abuse

The forcing of unwanted sexual acts or behavior on a person.

Sexual harassment

Any unwelcome sexual advance or behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

Slander

Defamation in oral form.

Substance abuse

The repeated use of legal or illegal drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol in a way that is harmful to oneself or others.

Verbal abuse

The use of language that threatens, embarrasses, or insults a person.

Workplace violence

Verbal, physical, or sexual abuse of staff by other staff members, residents, or visitors.