The ACE program requires specially designed
and constructed units. In 1999, the Hospitalized
Elder Life Program (HELP) was introduced;
HELP can be implemented in any preexisting
hospital environment. The HELP program was
developed by Inouye at Yale University School
of Medicine and was first described in the New
England Journal of Medicine. Implementation
of the HELP program at other hospitals outside of
Yale began in 2001. HELP is a program that is
designed ‘‘to maintain physical and cognitive
function throughout the hospitalization; to maximize
independence at discharge; to assist with
the transition from hospital to home; and to
prevent unplanned remissions.’’ The program
is composed of multiple interventions that are applied
based on individual need.