An Act protecting vulnerable elders from abuse

This bill amends Massachusetts law to strengthen protections for elderly individuals against abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. It expands the legal definition of abuse to include failures by caretakers to provide essential necessities for physical and emotional well-being, while clarifying that religious treatment or necessary physical contact in correctional facilities does not constitute abuse. The legislation also broadens the scope of who is considered a "caretaker" to include those responsible for elders in various settings, such as those involuntarily committed to facilities. Additionally, the bill reinforces protections for mandatory reporters by shielding them from civil or criminal liability when they report suspected abuse in good faith, provided they did not cause the harm themselves.