adult protection

English

Etymology

From adult (“a fully grown human”) +‎ protection (“the process of keeping someone safe”). The incontinence sense is a euphemism for keeping an adult safe from (protected against) accidents.

Noun

adult protection (uncountable)

Policies and actions in place for the protection of (sometimes vulnerable) adults; adult safeguarding.
- 1981 March 23, Tim Cash, Abuse of Older Persons: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Human Services of the Select Committee on Aging‎^[1], U.S. Government Printing Office, page 18:
  I am not in favor of the block grant approach to social services. I feel that the elderly will take a second or third or fourth place seat to other special interest groups. The adult protection should be given priority status with child protection and other domestic violence concerns.
- 1994, Michel Silberfeld, Arthur Fish, When the Mind Fails: A Guide to Dealing with Incompetency, University of Toronto Press, →ISBN, page 129:
  The proper application of adult protection statutes to incompetent people will often be as dependent on thorough, fair, complete competency assessment as the imposition of guardianship is. In fact, some laws explicitly make incompetency a ground for intervention.
- 2004, Frances Sussex, Peter Scourfield, Social Care: Level 4, Heinemann, →ISBN, page 366:
  Adult protection is about being more aware and alert to potential situations of abuse. Having a good knowledge of the signs of abuse can enable you to think about whether a situation of abuse may be occurring.
- 2019 November 27, “Adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland 'not fit for purpose'”, in BBC news‎^[2]:
  Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK and Ireland without specific adult protection laws. Action on Elder Abuse said older people were "subject to a postcode lottery". "We have legislation to protect children from abuse and animals from cruelty," said the charity's deputy chief executive Veronica Gray.
(euphemistic, uncommon) Adult incontinence wear, such as adult diapers, pads, diaper briefs or incontinence pants.
- 1987 September 16, “Welcome news for every woman in search of effective adult protection”, in The Miami News, Special Advertising Section, page 5D:
  For effective adult protection, there's nothing like new SERENITY Guards, available in Super and Regular.
- 1993, Judd H. Alexander, In Defense of Garbage, Bloomsbury Academic, →ISBN, page 61:
  The demand for incontinence garments will grow. Birth rates for babies have passed their peak, but the number of adults in high-risk ages for incontinence increases yearly. Babies are in diapers for less than thirty months; adult protection is sometimes required for a decade or longer.
- 2012, Diana B. Denholm, “Toilet Issues”, in The Caregiving Wife's Handbook: Caring for Your Seriously Ill Husband, Turner Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 1 (of chapter):
  Adult protection isn't as big an issue for women, as they are more accustomed to using sanitary protection.
- 2024 April 24, Hannah Hargrave, “Christina Applegate details horrors of latest health crisis - 'I'm wearing diapers'”, in Hello!‎^[3]:
  Christina previously confessed that her multiple sclerosis diagnosis often left her unable to get to the bathroom in time and so she wears adult protection even when not suffering from food poisoning.
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see adult,‎ protection. (i.e. protection by adults)
All children need adult protection, but not all adults deserve to have children.