Specialized Hospital Care for Older Adults

At CPMC’s Mission Bernal Campus & Orthopedic Institute, we strive to deliver ideal care for older adults. That’s why we started the Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit.

The interdisciplinary team in the ACE Unit helps older patients return home and to their normal living situations. We have private rooms in an environment that promotes comfort, safety and independence.

Call (415) 641-6673 to learn more or refer a patient.

The ACE Unit provides:

• A physical and occupational therapy room.
• Activity therapy, including music therapy, guided imagery and other activities that encourage socialization and mobility.
• Rehabilitation with a focus on exercise, socialization and better sleep. 
• Our Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), which develops a personalized care plan to help each patient stay mobile, social and prevent functional decline. HELP is an effective and innovative model of hospital care designed to prevent both delirium and functional decline. CPMC has been awarded a Center of Excellence designation for this program by the American Geriatric Society, a prestigious international recognition.
• Mission Bernal Campus is also recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as an Age-Friendly Health System.

Admission to the ACE Unit – Information for Doctors and Providers

The following types of patients are ideally suited for the ACE Unit:

• Adults 70 and older requiring hospitalization.
• Patients at risk for loss of function, or who have delirium or dementia, pneumonia, dehydration or functional incontinence. 
• Other conditions appropriate for admission include post-orthopedic procedures, falls, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, Parkinson’s disease, failure to thrive, polypharmacy and more.
• Patients who do not require ICU-level care.

Interdisciplinary Team Provides Collaborative Care

The interdisciplinary staff is led by an Elder Life Nurse Specialist. Every nurse has received geriatric training through the NICHE program (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders). The ACE Unit team includes:

• Elder life clinical nurse specialist
• Geriatrician
• Nurse
• Social worker
• Case manager
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Activities therapist
• Volunteers specially trained to assist in activities of daily living
• Registered dietitian
• Pharmacist
• Community partners

Nationwide, ACE units have reduced the number of days in the hospital and improved the functional abilities of elderly patients. We’re proud to offer this advanced service to the community.