Offense of neglect of elderly adult – Offense of neglect of vulnerable adult

(a) It is an offense for a caregiver to knowingly neglect an elderly or vulnerable adult, so as to adversely affect the person‘s health or welfare. (i) The failure of a caregiver to provide the care, supervision, or services necessary to maintain the physical health of an elderly or vulnerable adult, including, but not limited to, the provision of food, water, clothing, medicine, shelter, medical services, a medical treatment plan prescribed by a healthcare professional, basic hygiene, or supervision that a reasonable person would consider essential for the weIl-being of an elderly or vulnerable adult. See Tennessee Code 39-15-501Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106Vulnerable adult: means a person eighteen (18) years of age or older who, because of intellectual disability or physical dysfunction, is unable to fully manage the person's own resources, carry out all or a portion of the activities of daily living, or fully protect against neglect, exploitation, or hazardous or abusive situations without assistance from others. See Tennessee Code 39-15-501(b) The offense of neglect of an elderly adult is a Class E felony. (c) The offense of neglect of a vulnerable adult is a Class D felony. (d) If the neglect is a result of abandonment or confinement and no injury occurred, then the neglect by abandonment or confinement of an elderly or vulnerable adult is a Class A misdemeanor.