Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit - Key Components

The ACE Unit recognizes that as we age, our care can become more complicated. From several disease factors and multiple medications to limited physical abilities, seniors need to be treated from many different avenues. The ACE Unit will not only manage the primary acute illness during a hospitalization but will also pay special attention to and address these other factors. The specialized interventions will assist in avoiding complications, helping the patient recover sooner and return to their prior living arrangement.

The key components of the ACE Unit are:

1. specially trained staff dedicated to the unit, including a Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Medical Director, who is a board certified Geriatrician
2. a daily interdisciplinary team review
3. adaptations to the physical environment
4. protocols and interventions to address risk factors common to seniors
   • physical mobility
   • activities of daily living/self care
   • safety
   • nutrition
   • cognitive status
   • urinary/bowel elimination
   • skin integrity
   • polypharmacy

Unique Model of Care
Sacred Heart Hospital’s ACE Unit implements a unique comprehensive model of care that is interdisciplinary and patient-centered. In addition to the ACE Unit’s dedicated staff, the team includes a pharmacist, social worker, physical/occupational therapist, and dietician. This team assists the primary care physician in managing treatment throughout a patient’s stay on the ACE Unit, including assistance with any special needs during the discharge process.