Enhancement of Geriatric Health Care

 

Coming together to enhance geriatric health care, St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) are launching a medical care unit specializing in quality care for the elderly.  The UM-SJMAA Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit, will be a place for expert geriatricians to work together to enhance geriatric health care.  Equipped with top-quality machinery, health care providers working at the unit will be guided by a UMHS medical director.

This new unit is one of the only one of its kind in America under the auspices of a nationally-renowned model of care.  This helps the elderly rehabilitate and recover; maintain and increase strength and mobility; decrease the possibility of complications when in hospital and more.  In other words, the idea behind the unit is to truly enhance the quality of life for the elderly. This team – geared to geriatrics – has a different perspective to eldercare and understands more of what they encounter.

All patients in attendance at the new unit will be given tailor-made care to help them function more independently; improve their comfort level and nutrition and other such medical-related matters.  As well as geriatricians, on the board will be geriatric medicine-trained nurses; occupational therapists; social workers; a pharmacist and nutritionist since the center’s goal is to provide complete care for the elderly.  It is thus hoped that all of this will succeed in bringing an overall improvement to geriatric health care.