Categories of abuse to vulnerable adults
NHS Digital reported that there were over 150,0704 adult safeguarding referrals made in 2017-18 from councils that have social services responsibility.
Abuse is defined as “a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons”.
Vulnerable adults can be abused by family members, friends, care workers, volunteers, other service users or professional staff such as medical staff. Abuse can occur to either one person or to a group of people at the same time, some forms of abuse will constitute a criminal offence, for example rape, assault, theft or fraud. Abuse can occur in the customer’s own home, a nursing or residential home, hospital or other care setting.
Abuse is not always deliberate it can occur through carers trying to do their best but not knowing what they should do, such as family members not knowing how they should lift a frail elderly person or simply help them to their feet. Unfortunately irrespective of how or why the abuse occurs the abusive action causes the vulnerable person harm.
Vulnerable adults may be the victim of the following types of abuse:
- Physical
- Neglect
- Emotional
- Sexual
- Financial
- Psychological and emotional
- Discriminatory
- Institutional