Vulnerable adult

A vulnerable adult's daily living activities may be affected by impairments such as illiteracy, communication difficulties, learning disabilities and other practical deficits.

[7] Vulnerable adults' cognitive impairment puts them at greater-than-usual risk of abuse (domestic or institutional) and exploitation.

Vulnerable adults sometimes have guardians - these are individuals with a legal right to make decisions on their behalf, such as those related to medical care and housing.

[13] Guardians may be family or friends,[13] or they may be professionals who make decisions on behalf of many vulnerable people in exchange for their money.

Section 59 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 says:[14]1) A person is a vulnerable adult if he has attained the age of 18 and— (a) he is in residential accommodation, (b) he is in sheltered housing, (c) he receives domiciliary care, (d) he receives any form of health care, (e) he is detained in lawful custody, (f) he is by virtue of an order of a court under supervision by a person exercising functions for the purposes of Part 1 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43), (g) he receives a welfare service of a prescribed description, (h) he receives any service or participates in any activity provided specifically for persons who fall within subsection (9), (i) payments are made to him (or to another on his behalf) in pursuance of arrangements under section 57 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c. 15), or

The Department of Justice defines this as "an adult who is unable to receive and evaluate information or make or communicate informed decisions to such an extent that the adult lacks the ability to meet essential requirements for physical health, safety or self-care, even with reasonably available appropriate technological assistance" (Civil Financial Exploitation 22 M.R.S.

In 2012, Governor Mark Dayton of Minnesota signed a bipartisan bill for vulnerable adults which made abuse and neglect into felony offenses.