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What is Telecare?

Find out what telecare is and how it can help you remain independent at home with remote technology enabled care such as personal alarms and home adaptations.

Diagram showing how telecare works


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What is telecare?

Telecare is a form of remote care technology designed to help people live safely and independently in their own homes, especially as they get older or face health challenges. It provides 24-hour monitoring and emergency support through personal alarms, fall detectors and connected sensors that can quickly alert a dedicated resolution team or family member when help is needed.

For many older adults, the idea of moving into residential care or relying heavily on others can be distressing, both emotionally and financially. Telecare offers a practical and reassuring alternative. It gives people the freedom to live independently while ensuring that support is available at the touch of a button or automatically triggered by smart sensors in the home.

Whether you're living alone, recovering from illness, or supporting a loved one who is vulnerable, telecare can play a vital role. It helps to:

  • Provide round-the-clock support, with trained operators on hand 24/7 to answer to alarm calls.
  • Detect falls or emergencies automatically using specialised sensors or worn devices.
  • Alert carers or family members if something unusual happens, such as a missed medication prompt or no movement in the home.
  • Promote confidence and peace of mind, both for the individual and those who care about them.
How telecare works


Telecare services use a personal alarm and other monitored devices such as elderly fall alarms 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.

Technology enabled care

According to the UK healthcare market statistics, out of 18 million consumers who are aged 60 and over, 97% are not open to going into a care home. It can be difficult when it seems like a care home or a live-in carer might be the only available options, but the solution can sometimes be much simpler. If the person that you care for could benefit from peace of mind and reassurance should they need help in an emergency, technology enabled care (TEC) could be just the answer.

Telecare is a technology designed service to provide support at home, enabling independent living and giving confidence that help is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.



How does telecare work?

A telecare system provides 24/7 support by connecting the user to a dedicated emergency resolution team whenever help is needed, all at the touch of a button.

Most telecare services include a personal alarm, which is usually worn discreetly as a pendant around the neck or as a wristband. If the user feels unwell, has a fall, or simply needs assistance, they can press the alarm button to instantly raise an alert.

The signal is sent to a telecare base unit. The base unit has a built-in loudspeaker and microphone, allowing for two-way communication between the user and the 24-hour response centre (normally using a mobile network), even from across the room.

Some newer digital GPS alarms do not require a base unit and have a speaker and microphone built into the pendant.

As soon as the alarm is activated:

  • A trained member of the resolution team will answer the call immediately.
  • They’ll have access to the user’s details, health conditions, and emergency contacts, which are securely stored by the telecare provider.
  • The operator will assess the situation, offer reassurance, and take appropriate action, whether that’s contacting a family member or the emergency services.
  • Even if the user cannot speak, for example, if they’ve fallen or lost consciousness, help is still dispatched based on the type of alert received and the user’s care plan.

Advanced telecare systems can also include fall detectors which automatically raise an alert without the user needing to press a button and GPS to track the user’s movements. These features offer extra peace of mind for people who are frail, have dementia or live alone.

Telecare works quietly in the background, giving users the freedom to live independently while knowing help is always available if something goes wrong.

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.

There are other benefits to having a personal alarm or emergency alert system compared to a mobile phone. Our personal alarms are connected to our three UK based Emergency Resolution Centres, ensuring no call goes unanswered.

A mobile phone does not have a fixed location like an in-home 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.

Is telecare the same as telehealth?

While telecare and telehealth are closely related, they are not the same thing. Both use technology to support people’s health and wellbeing at home, but they serve different purposes.

Telecare is focused on safety and independent living. It includes devices like personal alarms, fall detectors, and home sensors that monitor someone’s wellbeing and automatically alert a 24-hour response team or family member if something goes wrong.

Telecare is especially helpful for older adults, people with disabilities, or those living alone.

Telehealth, on the other hand, refers to the remote delivery of healthcare services. This might include virtual GP appointments, remote monitoring of long-term conditions (like blood pressure or blood sugar levels), or using apps and devices to track medical data that’s shared with healthcare professionals.

In simple terms, telecare is about keeping people safe at home, while telehealth is about managing medical care from a distance. They often work hand-in-hand but serve different needs.



Telecare support to remain independent

The emergency alarm for the elderly is quick to arrange and easy to set-up and use. Additionally, you can make the home safer by adding services and adaptations as and when circumstances change, with many telecare providers offering a range of sensors and detectors. These work alongside the personal alarm service, signalling to the alarm user and the response team if an issue is detected.

You can usually add and tailor these to your personal alarm service, choosing and selecting from the available services to meet specific needs. Ask your telecare provider about a safe home assessment to help you decide which home adaptations are most suitable.

Many people benefit from additional reassurance by having a bogus caller button to help deal with unexpected visitors, or a personal fall alarm to monitor falls and get help if the wearer has fallen.

For those who might not easily notice a sudden temperature change, it is recommended to have a temperature sensor, to avoid the risk of suffering hypothermia - especially during the winter months where there might be a drop in the temperature. Other home safety services include smart home monitoring, smoke and flood detectors and carbon monoxide detector, which is particularly helpful for those with a gas fired boiler.

To get help away from the home, a personal alarm with GPS provides a way to call for help from any location with a mobile network reception. Dementia trackers and dementia alarms are designed to find people who are living with dementia or have learning difficulties and may wander.

A personalised telecare service can help your loved ones' home remain their haven and they can be safe in the knowledge that help is always at hand.

 

Providing a life-saving service to over ¼ million people and their families

Taking Care has been providing personal alarm services for more than 30 years. We've supported over ¼ million people and their families with personal alarms. We aim to answer alarm calls within 30 seconds, so you can feel safe and be confident of receiving the support you and your family deserve.

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