Fatal neglect of the elderly by a spouse: a case report

Neglect is one of the most common forms of elder abuse, along with physical and psychological abuse. It is defined as an elderly person alone who is not able to provide for him or herself the services necessary to maintain physical and mental health, or who is not receiving those services from a responsible carer. We present an unusual case of neglect where a 69-year-old diabetic man was left lying on the ground by his spouse after a sudden fall from a cerebral stroke. The man was not able to move or to get up and his spouse, unable to lift him up, did not seek help. Although the victim's spouse reported having taking care of him, the man died four days later from a fatal hyperglycaemia.