(1) “Abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult” means:

(a) Intentional infliction of physical or psychological injury upon an elderly person or disabled adult;

Attorney's Note

Under the Florida Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Felony of the first degreeup to 30 yearsup to $10,000
Felony of the second degreeup to 15 yearsup to $10,000
Felony of the third degreeup to 5 yearsup to $5,000
For details, see Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(b), Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(d) and Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(e)

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Terms Used In Florida Statutes 825.102

  • Caregiver: includes , but is not limited to, relatives, court-appointed or voluntary guardians, adult household members, neighbors, health care providers, and employees and volunteers of facilities as defined in subsection (7). See Florida Statutes 825.101
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Disabled adult: means a person 18 years of age or older who suffers from a condition of physical or mental incapacitation due to a developmental disability, organic brain damage, or mental illness, or who has one or more physical or mental limitations that restrict the person's ability to perform the normal activities of daily living. See Florida Statutes 825.101
  • Elderly person: means a person 60 years of age or older who is suffering from the infirmities of aging as manifested by advanced age or organic brain damage, or other physical, mental, or emotional dysfunctioning, to the extent that the ability of the person to provide adequately for the person's own care or protection is impaired. See Florida Statutes 825.101
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Property: means anything of value and includes:
    (a) Real property, including things growing on, affixed to, and found in land. See Florida Statutes 825.101
  • Services: means anything of value resulting from a person's physical or mental labor or skill, or from the use, possession, or presence of property, and includes:
    (a) Repairs or improvements to property. See Florida Statutes 825.101
(b) An intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or psychological injury to an elderly person or disabled adult;
(c) Active encouragement of any person to commit an act that results or could reasonably be expected to result in physical or psychological injury to an elderly person or disabled adult; or
(d) Intentionally, and without lawful authority, isolating or restricting access of an elderly person or a disabled adult to family members for any length of time which could reasonably be expected to result in physical or psychological injury to the elderly person or disabled adult, or with the intent to promote, facilitate, conceal, or disguise some form of criminal activity involving the person or property of the elderly person or disabled adult. It is a defense to a violation of this paragraph that the defendant had reasonable cause to believe that his or her action was necessary to protect the elderly person or disabled adult from danger to his or her welfare.

A person who knowingly or willfully abuses an elderly person or disabled adult without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the elderly person or disabled adult commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(2) “Aggravated abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult” occurs when a person:

(a) Commits aggravated battery on an elderly person or disabled adult;
(b) Willfully tortures, maliciously punishes, or willfully and unlawfully cages, an elderly person or disabled adult; or
(c) Knowingly or willfully abuses an elderly person or disabled adult and in so doing causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the elderly person or disabled adult.

A person who commits aggravated abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3)(a) “Neglect of an elderly person or disabled adult” means:

1. A caregiver‘s failure or omission to provide an elderly person or disabled adult with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the elderly person’s or disabled adult’s physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical services that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the elderly person or disabled adult; or
2. A caregiver’s failure to make a reasonable effort to protect an elderly person or disabled adult from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person.

Neglect of an elderly person or disabled adult may be based on repeated conduct or on a single incident or omission that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, serious physical or psychological injury, or a substantial risk of death, to an elderly person or disabled adult.

(b) A person who willfully or by culpable negligence neglects an elderly person or disabled adult and in so doing causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the elderly person or disabled adult commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(c) A person who willfully or by culpable negligence neglects an elderly person or disabled adult without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the elderly person or disabled adult commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.