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1. Who is a Vulnerable Adult?

Vulnerable Adults are age 18 or older, and either:

• Categorical “Vulnerable Adult”: May include any person who is a resident or patient of a facility such as a hospital, group home, nursing home, or adult foster care home; or a person who receives services during the day from an agency, licensed/certified by Minnesota Department of Human Services or Minnesota Department of Health, such as a home-care agency or personal care services provider.
• Functional “Vulnerable Adult”: Includes a person who possesses a physical or mental infirmity or other physical, mental or emotional dysfunction that impairs the individual’s ability to provide adequately for his/her own care without assistance, and because of the dysfunction or infirmity and the need for assistance, the individual has an impaired ability to protect him or herself from maltreatment.

2. What is Maltreatment?

Maltreatment includes:

• Abuse: Abuse of a vulnerable adult can take on many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse.
• Financial Exploitation: Taking advantage of a vulnerable adult to obtain access to his or her money, including undue influence, harassment, duress, deception and fraud.
• Neglect, which includes:
  • Caregiver Neglect: The vulnerable adult’s caregiver fails to provide needed care or services, including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare or supervision.
  • Self-Neglect: The vulnerable adult may fail to provide for his or her own needed care or services.