When you are working up an elderly patient for trauma look for patterns such as circumferential bruising on the wrists that have the pattern of fingers the same way you would look at the injuries of a child. Remember that the person who is sitting next to them is frequently the person that is abusing them. Therefore, it is important to interview the patient alone.
References
Lachs MS, Pillemer KA. Elder Abuse. N Engl J Med 2015; 373:1947-1956
