Untreated pressure injuries are most consistent with which elder mistreatment category?

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

Answer: (A)

Untreated pressure injuries reflect neglect. Neglect involves failing to meet an elder’s basic care needs, including medical attention and proper skin care. Pressure injuries arise from prolonged pressure, especially when mobility is limited, and preventing or addressing them requires regular turning, skin checks, good nutrition and hydration, moisture management, and timely medical treatment. If a caregiver does not provide these essential protections or fails to escalate care, the wound can persist or worsen, which is the hallmark of neglect. Physical abuse involves intentional harm, abandonment means desertion or leaving the person without care, and financial exploitation involves misuse of money or resources, none of which directly explain a wound that remains untreated.