Glossary of Nursing Home Abuse Law Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
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Abuse (Emotional/Verbal): Emotional and verbal abuse occurs when a person says or does something that harm’s the nursing home resident’s self-esteem, such as humiliating, ignoring, or frightening the resident.
Abuse (Financial): Financial abuse occurs when a person illegally or improperly uses a nursing home resident’s money, property, and/or possessions for personal gain.
Abuse (Mental): Mental abuse is sometimes referred to as psychological or emotional abuse. Mental abuse is the intentional infliction of anguish, degradation, fear, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts.
Abuse (Personal): Action by one person purposely does something to another person that causes mental or physical pain.
Abuse (Physical): The intentional use of physical force that may result in bodily injury or pain.
Abuse (Sexual): Any form of nonconsensual sexual contact, including unwanted or inappropriate touching, rape, sodomy, sexual coercion, sexually explicit photographing, and sexual harassment.
Access: A person’s ability to get necessary medical care and services.
Accessibility of Services: A person’s ability to get necessary medical care and services when needed.
Accredited or Accreditation: A facility is accredited when a private, independent group has met certain quality standards.
Act: Legislation passed by congress.
Action: A formal complaint brought to court.
Activities of Daily Living: Activities done in a normal day, such as walking, eating, dressing, bathing, grooming, and using the toilet.
Actual Charge: The dollar amount charged for medical services or supplies.
Adjudication: The process of being decided by a judge.
Admitting Physician: The doctor that admits a person to a hospital or other in-patient health facility.
Advance Directives: Advanced instructions telling how a person wants his or health care administered in the event that the person is unable to make decisions for himself. Also called a “Living Will.”
Advocate: A person or group that supports and/or protects another person’s rights.
Allegation: The claim made in a pleading by a party to an action setting out what he or she expects to prove.
Alzheimer’s Disease: A disorder involving deterioration of mental functions resulting from changes in brain tissues, including shrinkage of brain tissues.
