• January 2, 2024

As defined in the psychology, sociology and social work fields, a vulnerable adult is any person who lacks the absolute most basic (as distinct from mid-level or typical level) human life skills by reason of not having learned them through the formative years of childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. A vulnerable adult is unable, rather than unwilling, to properly learn or properly maintain these skills, and is usually completely without, and unable to obtain, any family, friends, acquaintances or other assistive persons in their lives to offer education or assistance in these areas (see: abandonment). In order to be classed as vulnerable, the adult’s circumstances must be unable to be altered or improved by the adult’s own individual actions without direct assistance from a more typical adult. The vulnerable adult must also be shown to be, on some significant level, a risk to him or her self if assistance is not provided.