Henry is 86 years old and lives with a caretaker hired by the family. The caretaker is to provide 24-hour care through the week for free room and board. When Henry’s family comes to visit for the weekend, they notice he is not clean and appears to be quite hungry. He has urinated in his bed, and all necessary medicine bottles are empty. What type of elder abuse is being described?
Explanation
Answer: D - Neglect of the elderly is when a person fails to fulfill the obligations necessary to provide appropriate care. This may also include the financial responsibilities of a caretaker to pay for in-home services. Typically, neglect refers to a failure to provide life necessities such as water, food, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, safety, and medicine.
