Texas Adult Protection Legal Definitions

Chapter 48 of the Texas Human Resources Code also includes the following definitions of maltreatment:

Abuse is defined as "willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, or cruel punishment" and includes:

scratches, cuts, bruises, and burns;
welts, scalp injury, and gag marks;
sprains, punctures, broken bones, and bedsores;
confinement;
rape and other forms of sexual abuse; and
verbal and psychological abuse.

Neglect is defined as "the failure to provide for one's self the goods or services which are necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness, or the failure of a caretaker to provide such goods or services" and includes:

malnourishment and dehydration;
over- or under- medication;
lack of heat, running water, or electricity;
unsanitary living conditions;
lack of medical care; and
lack of personal hygiene or clothes.

Exploitation is defined as "the illegal or improper act or process of using the resources of an elderly or disabled person for monetary or personal benefit" and includes:

taking Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks;
abusing joint checking accounts; and
taking property and other resources.