Wiltshire pilots new "Telecare" scheme for the elderly
By Jayne Warren - 04/10/2007
"Telecare" - innovative assistive technology equipment which enables vulnerable people to remain in their homes - is finally coming of age.
Salisbury District Council, Salisbury Foundation Hospital, Wiltshire County Council and the South Wiltshire Primary Care Trust have joined forces to run the new 'Telecare' scheme which will be officially launched at Salisbury Guildhall on 11th October.
A grant of £123,000 from Wiltshire County Council will fund the technology to enable falls' victims and other patients to be discharged earlier from hospital and ensure they are safe and secure in their own home. Patients referred onto the scheme will also be signed up to Salisbury District Council's CareConnect service, which means urgent help is on hand at the press of a button 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The service will be the first of its kind in Wiltshire and will pilot for two years. Telecare Support Officer Olivia Harris, who will identify the services and support the patient needs, said: "On average, 127 patients in south Wiltshire are being discharged from hospital and medical supervision after having a fall. Of these, 11% can expect to be re-admitted to hospital within 28 days. That would see nine patients a week at risk of returning to hospital - and it is these people we are aiming to assist by helping them not to go back to hospital. Telecare provides people with a range of technology and aids that can help prevent further falls. It also enables patients to be discharged from hospital earlier."
The Telecare scheme can also offer the patient: joint assessment for a 12 week programme; care and support; a CareConnect lifeline and fall detector and other sensors; emergency response to alarm calls; help with medicine; comfort calling to provide reassurance and a key safe to allow agencies emergency access their property. Patients will enter the service either as a result of being discharged from hospital, or having an incident at home that involved calling the out of hours service.
It can also refer patients for a disabled facility grant, improvements to make their home more energy efficient, identify health and safety issues (for example a poorly laid carpet), an Age Concern handy van service to undertake odd jobs, and involvement in community based activities.
But what about the human touch? So many older people are isolated and lonely, with their only human contact being a healthcare worker or their local post office. Will this new technology create physical safety at the cost of further emotional isolation? I asked Olivia what she thought:
"I agree with you about the need for human touch - very much so. At a recent conference attended by health professionals, service users, providers and suppliers, this was one of the key questions raised. But this project is not just about fitting a lifeline. The project officer's role, as part of the overall assessment, is to ensure that all the other support services are available - carers, volunteers, reassurance visits - the whole package.
"I don't want people to feel that we've just whacked a lifeline in and then left them to it - far from it. Once someone is referred, we work in 12 week cycles, so people have a machine for 12 weeks, are taught how to use it and then monitored. I've been working in this area for years, and I'm sure it will not only restore independence to many people, but also clear the number of hospital beds blocked by repeat home injuries."
Salisbury District Council's portfolio holder for Housing, Cllr Ian Tomes, said: "This scheme will not only help to relieve the burden on local hospitals, but will also enable people to stay in the comfort of their own home and remain independent for longer."