To improve health outcomes for older adult patients in the region, the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) and St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor have reported that they will collaborate to open a medical care unit specializing in geriatric care. A news release from the University of Michigan Health System states that the new UM-SJMAA Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit is intended to unite the area’s foremost geriatric experts in a new facility designed specifically to accommodate older adult patients.
The release notes that the new unit in St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor’s East Tower will offer elder care by a skilled team of health care providers headed by a UMHS medical director. The unit is intended to follow a model of care reportedly proven to help older patients recover from illnesses or injury, help them maintain their strength and mobility, and to reduce complications during their hospital stay. The unit will also feature private rooms, a homelike atmosphere, non-skid floors, pressure-relieving mattresses, low-set beds, handrails, and soft lighting.
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, MD, U-M executive vice president for medical affairs, CEO, UMHS, calls the ACE collaboration, “an exciting and compelling example of how our affiliation with Trinity-Michigan continues to bring us tremendous opportunities to share local health resources to provide our patients with the best care possible,” Pescovitz says.
Rob Casalou, president, CEO, echoes Pescovitz’s sentiment, noting that the organization’s affiliation with UMHS has created opportunities to proactively address the needs of the communities each serve. “The UM-SJMAA ACE unit is one of the few programs in the country specially designed for acutely ill older adults,” Casalou adds.
The release reports that patients will be provided specialized care intended to address the natural changes that result from the aging process, independent functioning, comfort level, skin health, nutrition and response to treatment. The unit’s team of health professional includes physical occupational therapists, board-certified geriatric physicians, geriatric medicine-trained nurses, and a social worker.
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Source: University of Michigan Health System
