Acute Care for Elders (ACE)

The Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit at Zuckerberg San Francisco General was started in February, 2007. We care for over 1,000 older patients each year. It is the first ACE unit in California. Our mission is to provide the best inpatient care for hospitalized older adults. We focus on maintaining and improving physical and mental function. The ACE unit is a major site of Geriatrics teaching at UCSF for medical students, interns and residents, and Geriatrics fellows.

Hospitalization is a risky period for older adults. Many of us are aware of elderly relatives or friends who are not quite the same after hospitalization. Patients may be weaker or have difficulty managing their affairs afterwards. We can avoid some of this decline. This happens through a patient-focused, team approach. It uses the best evidence to guide care.

The Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit accomplishes this through:

• an interdisciplinary team in an environment focused on the care of older adults.
• expert medication review. We remove unnecessary medications and identify potential medication side-effects or drug interactions.
• interventions to maintain physical and mental health. These include exercise, socialization, and focus on sleep hygiene.
• early planning for leaving the hospital. This makes the transition home as smooth as possible.

Each morning, patients are seen by healthcare professionals. This includes a physician, a nurse, an occupational therapist, a pharmacist, and a social worker. This team then discusses the plan of care. They bring their specific areas of expertise to bear for each patient. The team continues to evaluate each patients’ progress until hospital discharge.

The ACE unit shares its knowledge and expertise in acute care for the elderly to other units throughout Zuckerberg San Francisco General through education sessions.