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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>61453</law_id><section_number>63.2-1603</section_number><catch_line>Protection of adults; definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1627.5</reference><reference>2.2-3705.7</reference><reference>2.2-3711</reference><reference>32.1-125.5</reference><reference>32.1-138.5</reference><reference>32.1-162.15:1.14</reference><reference>32.1-162.15:1.16</reference><reference>59.1-518.01</reference><reference>6.2-103.2</reference><reference>63.2-100</reference><reference>63.2-1729</reference><reference>63.2-1731</reference><reference>64.2-2020</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="16">Adult Services</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Adult Protective Services</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Act of violence, force, or threat</span>&#x201D; means the same as that term is defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/19.2-152.7_1/">19.2-152.7:1</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Adult</span>&#x201D; means any person 60 years of age or older, or any person 18 years of age or older who is incapacitated and who resides in the Commonwealth; provided, however, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">adult</span>&#x201D; may include qualifying nonresidents who are temporarily in the Commonwealth and who are in need of temporary or <span class="dictionary">emergency</span> protective services.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Emergency</span>&#x201D; means (i) that an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> is living in conditions that present a clear and substantial risk of death or immediate and serious physical harm to himself or others or (ii) that an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> has been, within a reasonable period of time, subjected to an <span class="dictionary">act of violence, force, or threat</span> or been subjected to <span class="dictionary">financial exploitation</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Financial exploitation</span>&#x201D; means the illegal, unauthorized, improper, or fraudulent use of the funds, property, benefits, resources, or other <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> for another&#x2019;s profit, benefit, or advantage, including a caregiver or person serving in a fiduciary capacity, or that deprives the <span class="dictionary">adult</span> of his rightful use of or access to such funds, property, benefits, resources, or other <span class="dictionary">assets</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Financial exploitation</span>&#x201D; includes (i) an intentional breach of a fiduciary obligation to an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> to his detriment or an intentional failure to use the financial resources of an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> in a manner that results in neglect of such <span class="dictionary">adult</span>; (ii) the acquisition, <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, or control of an <span class="dictionary">adult</span>&#x2019;s financial resources or property through the use of undue influence, coercion, or duress; and (iii) forcing or coercing an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> to pay for goods or services against his will for another&#x2019;s profit, benefit, or advantage if the <span class="dictionary">adult</span> did not agree, or was tricked, misled, or defrauded into agreeing, to pay for such goods or services.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Financial institution staff</span>&#x201D; means any employee, agent, <span class="dictionary">qualified individual</span>, or representative of a bank, trust company, savings institution, loan association, consumer finance company, credit union, investment company, investment advisor, securities firm, accounting firm, or insurance company.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Incapacitated person</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">adult</span> who is impaired by reason of mental illness, intellectual disability, physical illness or disability, advanced age or other causes to the extent that the <span class="dictionary">adult</span> lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make, communicate or carry out responsible decisions concerning his or her well-being.</p></section></text><history>1977, c. 547, &#xA7; 63.1-55.2; 1978, c. 749; 2002, c. 747; 2004, cc. 749, 1011; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 207, 208.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
