In elder mistreatment case study, bruises in various stages of healing indicate which form of abuse?

• A. Physical abuse
• B. Neglect
• C. Abandonment
• D. Financial exploitation

Answer: (A)

Bruises change color as they heal, so seeing injuries at different ages at the same time means multiple injuries occurred over a period. That pattern points to ongoing harm from someone else, which is characteristic of physical abuse in elder mistreatment. Neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation involve different forms of harm and don’t inherently explain injuries in multiple healing stages.