TELECARE SERVICES

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If you require support or reassurance and are still living in your home, North London Homecare and Support Ltd. can discuss with you the benefits of differing Telecare equipment. This can help you feel reassured and also monitor the wellbeing of those living where it is in use. We have staff qualified to undertake assessment of your needs and request suitable equipment to meet each person's individual need.

 

UNDERSTANDING TELECARE SERVICES

 

There are many different types of equipment – here is a brief description of some:

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Careline – This can be called many different names usually named by the service provider. This service plugs into your regular telephone line and the Individual carries or wears an alarm around their neck or wrist. The person wearing the alarm button can call for help from anywhere in their home. The telephone is connected to a live monitoring service who will try to speak over the loudspeaker fitted to the phone, to reassure the Individual and seek the assistance they require. They can either alert the people chosen by the service user or, if they are not available, a warden is employed to visit the Individual to ascertain their well being and seek any assistance required. If the emergency services are required they will call these. The service has means of accessing the monitored home; this is often through a key safe being fitted. This will be arranged when the service is being set up. Other sensors can also be fitted and monitored and responded to by the Careline service.

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A wide range of risks can be monitored such as:

Falls sensors - Sensors are fitted around the home, to detect movement. When no movement is detected within timescales set, in accordance with the Individuals lifestyle around their home, the alarm is activated. For example if someone has entered the bathroom, but has not left it after a timed period of time (specific to how long the Individual usually spends in the bathroom) the alarm is activated. This will alert an external careline service so a physical check can be performed to ensure that they have not had a fall or possibly a seizure.

Other movement alerts can be set by a front door to perhaps simply remind someone to take their keys or in some cases, where the person may have dementia, it can alert our team to when they are leaving the home.

GPS - A GPS system is a tracking system that people carry with them in the form of a watch or mobile phone, this allows people to still be able to access the community independently but if concern is raised regarding their safety, their location can be known. However; GPS can only be used by people who have the Mental Capacity to consent to using this system, due to the infringement this could have on their right to privacy.

Epilepsy sensors - For those living with Epilepsy, Telecare can provide reassurance for the Individual and their carers/relatives. Equipment ranges from movement sensor bed alarms that can be tweaked to the Individual, so that they do not go off with normal movement when asleep.  They are set to recognise the typical movement that the Individual has during a usual seizure. The alarm, when activated can be set up to alert an onsite carer, carrying a pager or to go through to an external monitoring and support service to alert the emergency services, if required. If it is typical for the Individual to be incontinent during a seizure, an incontinence bed alarm is also another option that would be able to alert someone, in this time of need.

Medication alerts – Timed reminders to take medication at prescribed times. Those that require support from services to administer medication could gain independence by using an alarmed dosset (pill) box. These boxes can be pharmacy filled and set by the pharmacist to go off at prescribed times. The prescribed medication becomes available to the Individual at the correct times. For those who require assistance with handling their medication, for example they find it difficult to take it out of the dosset box, they can have an additional device to easily tilt the box, to dispense the medication from the box into a container of their choice.

For those who manage their support through a personal budget, this would allow for them to use their support less restrictively and would refrain from them having to plan their support times around their medication times.

Fire and Flood alerts - These are good for both people who have carers on site 24 hours, as well as those who live independently. If there was a fire the staff/relatives or carers may also be affected by smoke inhalation and would then be unable to alert the emergency services. These alarms can be set up so that they automatically alert the emergency services and a key safe can be fitted on the outside of the building to allow the emergency services access.

Key safes – These small metal boxes are fitted to an external wall, with coded access, to a key to the property. The code is retained by the external monitoring service and given to emergency services if access is required. Using key safes recommended and installed by your local authority will not affect the individuals' home insurance. You are able to purchase key safes from local stores and install them yourself.  However, it has been suggested that this may invalidate home insurance, as should they not be fitted correctly, the security of them could be compromised.

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WHY THIS TYPE OF SERVICE IS IMPORTANT

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A Telecare service allows you or your loved one to have more freedom in the home. There's less worry about falls and their wellbeing because constant monitoring ensures help is close at hand. This service can also give family members peace of mind that their loved one is being monitored and that the appropriate services are close by if they have any medical or other problems in the home.

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24/7 SERVICE

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You receive 24/7 cover with telecare service so you can be assured of monitoring at all times. This allows you to have freedom and independence while still having help close by. This type of service is a great supplement to care and support at home. You can have someone care for you when you need their practical support, then have the reassurance of knowing that help is at hand if needed and your well being is being monitored, using a cost effective approach.