| Nursing Home Abuse Legal Glossary
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
#
- A -
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. The cause is
unknown.
Ambulatory Care: Those health
services that do not require in-patient hospital care.
Ambulatory Surgical Center: The
place in a hospital where outpatient surgeries are performed.
Ancillary Services: Services given
by a hospital or other inpatient health program, such as x-rays, lab
testing, and drug administration.
Appeal: Request to a superior or
higher court to review and change the result in a case decided by an
inferior or lower court.
Appellate Court: A court having
jurisdiction to hear an appeal and review the decisions of a lower or
inferior court.
Approved Amount: The dollar amount
Medicare finds reasonable for a covered medical service.
Area Agency on Aging: Local
programs that offer help to older people, including transportation
services, meals, personal care, day health care, and skilled nursing
care. Pennsylvania residents can click here to find their Local Agencies
on Aging.
Assault: A willful attempt or
threat to harm another person, coupled with the present ability to
inflict injury on that person, which causes apprehension in that person.
Assessment: The gathering of
information in order to evaluate a person's health and health-care
needs.
Assignment: When a doctor agrees
to accept Medicare's fee as full payment under the original Medicare
plan. You must still pay your share of the fee for the doctor's visit.
Assisted Living Facility: A
residence for people needing assistance with certain such as dressing or
eating. Assisted Living Facilities provide a lesser skilled level of
care than a person would get in a nursing home. They also live more
independently. Usually, residents pay a monthly rent, plus additional
fees for the services they require and Medicare usually will not cover
these expenses.
Attorney-Client Privilege:
Client's privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person
from disclosing confidential communications between the client and his
or her attorney.
| 
