Cheryl Clark of HealthLeaders media recently published another article about the benefits of Acute Care for the Elderly units in hospitals.
As we have discussed before on this blog, altering the hospital environment to better care for the elderly – particularly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia – can be done, and need not be costly. Simple changes can be made with relatively little expense. Because – and this is key – the real changes occur with staff – knowledge, education, communication and support.
As we know, patients with dementia are more likely to suffer adverse events and to be readmitted to the hospital, often within 30 days of discharge. Designing an ACE unit for a hospital should include special attention to caring for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It is possible to create an environment and staff expertise to provide better care for both patient and family and to do so in a way that will allow a hospital to reap increased satisfaction and revenue.
Dementia Care Expertise for Health Care Providers 