What is Telecare?
The priority for most of us as we age is to remain independent and healthy in the homes we love. Telecare is a monitoring service that supports independent living and provides confidence that help is available 24 hours a day.
Telecare services use a personal alarm and other monitored devices such as fall detectors or home sensors to call the monitoring centre in an emergency. Telecare can be an alternative to a loved one having to move into a care home or have a live-in carer.
These assistive technologies also provide reassurance to family and friends who may not be able to visit as often as they would like. For an elderly person who lives alone, telecare can reassure them that help is never far away should an accident or medical emergency occur.
Why does telecare need to be monitored 24/7?
Not everyone has family or friends who live nearby and can respond in an emergency. Having a 24 hour monitored telecare solution ensures the elderly or vulnerable are fully supported and can continue to live independently at home.
When our telecare alarms make an emergency call, they will contact one of our three UK based Emergency Resolution Centres. The Emergency Resolution team will know who is calling and where they are calling from. Even if the elderly panic alarm user is unable to communicate, the specialist team will be able to coordinate the appropriate level of help.
The expertly trained team will have the alarm user's emergency contacts and medical information to hand and will quickly assess the situation. A family member or friend will then be contacted, or if medical assistance is needed then the emergency services will be called.
Do you need telecare if you have a mobile phone?
Mobile phones are great for keeping in touch with loved ones but are not always suitable for getting help in an emergency.
Relatives may not always be available to answer a call. They may have their phones switched off or on silent, be out of coverage or at work.
Our personal alarms are connected to our three UK based Emergency Resolution Centres, ensuring no call goes unanswered. The Emergency Resolution team have an average alarm call response time of just 6.2 seconds.
A mobile phone does not have a fixed location like a personal alarm or tracking like a GPS alarm. You need to remember to carry it with you at all times and to charge it regularly. The pendant alarms have a long 5-year battery life and can be worn comfortably around the neck or wrist. The button on the pendant can then be easily reached in an accident of emergency.
Most mobile phones are not water resistant so can't be taken into the bath or shower. Our pendant alarms are water resistant so they can be worn where the risk of falling or slipping is highest.
Who can benefit from telecare?
Although many elderly people benefit from telecare, the service can also provide support to other vulnerable people. This includes individuals such as those living with dementia, people with mobility problems or those with a physical or learning disability.
The teams in our UK based Emergency Resolution Centres are also ‘Dementia Friends’ trained and fully understand the challenges of caring for people with dementia, Alzheimer’s or mental impairments.
Telecare greatly benefits the friends and family of the user, giving them peace of mind that their loved one has access to help 24 hours a day should they need it.
Providing a life-saving service to 180,000 customers
Taking Care has been providing personal alarm services for more than 30 years. Since 2008 alone, we have helped 180,000 people stay safe in their homes, supporting customers and their families across the UK. With an average alarm response time of just 6.2 seconds, you can feel safe and be confident of receiving the support you and your family deserve. *
Best personal alarms for the elderly
* December 2019 Emergency Resolution Centre call statistics