An elder care facility may be liable for elder abuse and neglect when they owe a certain duty of care to the patient, yet fail to follow that standard, causing harm to them. For instance, if the facility is required to follow certain standards for cleanliness and bathing, yet fail to follow these guidelines and cause harm in the process, they may be held liable for elder neglect.
Elder abuse can also include intentional conduct, such as when a facility allows caretakers to cause intentional physical or emotional harm to a resident. Cases involving intentional conduct may result in more serious legal consequences for the facility, such as a loss of operating license.