| Nursing Home Abuse Legal Glossary
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Edema: Excessive accumulation of
water in the tissues.
Elder Law: Laws regarding the
rights of elderly people.
Eldercare: Programs, support
systems, laws, and funding that meet the needs of the elderly. Examples
include Social Security, health insurance, and elder law.
Elder abuse: Any physical, sexual,
verbal, psychological, or financial abuse perpetrated against an older
adult. Elder abuse is most often committed by caretakers, whether they
are family members or nursing home staffers. Many victims do not report
violations because they are scared or ashamed.
Elopement: The ability of a
nursing home resident who is not capable of self-preservation to
successfully leave the nursing home unsupervised and undetected and
enters into a harmful situation.
End-Stage Renal Disease: Permanent
kidney failure requiring lifetime dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Error: In the legal sense, a
mistaken interpretation of facts or application of the law that can
prove grounds for an appeal.
Exemplary Damages or Punitive Damages:
Compensation greater than what is necessary to cover losses received by
the plaintiff. These damages are awarded to punish the defendant for his
behavior.
Evidence: Proof of a probative
matter presented at trial for the purpose of inducing belief in the
minds of the jury or judge. Evidence comes in a variety of forms,
including testimony, writings, tangible objects, and exhibits.
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