Ask the doctor: Why did the doctor ask about my marital relationship?

Elder abuse is generally divided into two categories, intentional and unintentional/neglect. Intentional abuse is a conscious and deliberate attempt to inflict physical, emotional, or financial harm, often reflecting a desire to control. Unintentional abuse or neglect is an inadvertent action resulting in physical, emotional, or financial harm, usually resulting from ignorance, inexperience, lack of desire to provide proper care, or inability to do so.
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