From Volume 39, Issue 8, October 2012 | Pages 555-564
Abuse of vulnerable adults is largely under reported. The most common forms of abuse amongst this group are neglect and financial abuse, although an individual may be at risk of any or all forms of abuse. Certain individuals are at an increased risk of abuse due to their domestic environment and any physical or mental disability they may have.
The term ‘vulnerable adult’ is defined as ‘a person aged 18 years or over who is, or may be in need of, community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is, or may be, unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. It encompasses those with physical disability, mental illness including dementia and other degenerative illnesses.1
‘Abuse’ is defined as, ‘a violation of an individual's human and civil rights by any other person or persons’.1
There are many different forms of abuse which can occur in a variety of circumstances and situations. The document No Secrets produced by the Department of Health classifies six broad categories of abuse:1
Not all vulnerable adults are at equal risk of abuse or neglect. Several characteristics of the individual, the abuser and the situation they are in make adults more vulnerable to abuse, or neglect. These are summarized in Table 1.2
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