Elder Life Program - For Hospitalized Patients

Elder Life is a new program in the University of Michigan Health System to help hospitalized older patients maintain physical, mental and emotional well-being. The primary goals are to prevent physical deconditioning and delirium; e.g., acute confusion with disturbed consciousness and cognitive change.

Volunteers are trained to provide stimulating activities, early mobilization, nutrition support, and relaxation interventions for frail elderly patients at risk for developing delirium in their hospital stay. Functional and cognitive decline can occur in as much as one third of the hospitalized elderly population. The Elder Life Program uses modest, but creative approaches to provide support to the nursing care that enables older patients to remain optimally functional during a hospital stay. Elder Life volunteers provide the encouragement and extra support older patients need to get better.

Volunteers receive excellent training and provide a valuable and enjoyable service. They are asked to make a one year or, for students, a three-term commitment. They serve at least one 3-4 hour shift per week.

The Elder Life program is based upon an award winning clinical trial at Yale University, School of Medicine that demonstrated clinical effectiveness using specific protocols and interventions to prevent delirium and physical de-conditioning in elderly patients

For more information contact or Alene Blomquist at 734-764-2556.

This program is a service of the U-M Geriatrics Center, in coordination with the Geriatric Inpatient Consult Team.