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COMMON FORMS
OF ABUSE |
| Many people mistakenly assume that only battered paople are abused. |
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Dr. Margaret Mead |
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| Gary A. Jones |
| When Gary Jones became sick with terminal cancer, his caregiver denied him visitation with his children. |
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Click on a state to begin. The current laws in that state will be displayed below. |
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Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, a vulnerable adult is a person age 18 or above who has physical or mental conditions which cause the need for a guardian as defined by law (Title 30 O.S.), or whose physical or mental impairments are less disabling but still prevent the adult from independently managing all of his or her own affairs or protecting himself from maltreatment by others.
Vulnerable adults retain all the same rights and responsibilities as other adults until a court determines otherwise. Parents do not have the legal right to make decisions for their vulnerable adult children unless a court order or other legal document gives them that right. The same is true for adult children who wish to make decisions for their vulnerable parents.
Adult maltreatment can happen to any vulnerable adult. It reaches across all ethnic and economic groups. Adult maltreatment can take any of the specific forms defined in section 10-103 of Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Abuse is causing or allowing infliction of physical pain, injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, unreasonable restraint or confinement, or mental anguish OR deprivation of nutrition, clothing, shelter, health care or other care or services without which serious physical or mental injury is likely to occur by a caretaker or other person responsible for providing services to a vulnerable adult.
Neglect is failure to provide protection, failure to provide adequate shelter, nutrition, health care or clothing, or causing or permitting harm or risk of harm through the action, inaction or lack of supervision by someone providing direct services to a vulnerable adult.
Self-neglect is the action or inaction of a vulnerable adult, which causes the adult to fail to meet essential requirements for his or her own physical and mental health and safety due to the adult's lack of awareness or lack of ability.
Exploitation is improper use of a vulnerable adult's financial, real or personal resources for the benefit of another person through the use of undue influence, coercion, harassment, duress, deception, false representation or false pretense.
Verbal abuse is the use of words, sounds, gestures, actions, behaviors or other communication by a person responsible for providing services to a vulnerable adult that are likely to cause a reasonable person to experience humiliation, intimidation, fear, shame or degradation.
Sexual exploitation is a caretaker causing, allowing, or encouraging a vulnerable adult to engage in prostitution or lewd, obscene, or pornographic photographing, filming or depiction of the vulnerable adult.
Here are some links for reference on elder abuse in the state of Oklahoma:
http://www.okdhs.org/APS/printer.html#maltreatmentanchor
http://www.health.state.ok.us/.../violence/eldermal.html
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