Who can benefit from telecare?
What is telecare?
Telecare equipment and services are used to support safe and independent living. As we age, most of us want to stay independent for as long as possible in the comfort of our own homes.
Telecare helps to support independent living because users are confident help is available to them 24 hours a day. For example, when you press the alarm button on your emergency alarm for the elderly, our UK based Emergency Resolution Centres will be quickly contacted.
Although many elderly people benefit from telecare, it can also provide support to other vulnerable people. This includes those living with dementia, someone with mobility problems, long-term health conditions or those with a physical or learning disability.
Find out more about what telecare is in our What is Telecare? guide.
Who can benefit from telecare?
Many different people benefit from the support telecare provides, including:
- Older adults and the elderly
- Someone living with dementia or Alzheimer's disease
- People with physical or learning disabilities
- People with restricted mobility
- Relatives and informal carers
- Healthcare professionals and public services
- Local authorities
Older adults and the elderly
For many older people, living at home is a source of comfort and independence, but it can also come with increased risks, such as falls or medical emergencies. Telecare offers peace of mind by providing 24/7 access to help at the touch of a button.
Wearing a personal alarm means that, if a fall occurs or they feel unwell, they’re immediately connected to a trained response team who can assess the situation and send help. This support can prevent minor incidents from becoming more serious, reduce hospital admissions, and help elderly people stay in their own homes for longer.
Supporting people with Alzheimer's and Dementia
People living with dementia can particularly benefit from telecare. Dementia makes day to day life more difficult for the person living with the condition, and it may also put them at risk. Our panic alarms and monitoring services can enable them to live independently for longer, and reduce stress for themselves and their families, improving quality of life.
Our GPS dementia tracker with 24-hour monitoring service provides more freedom, as well as peace of mind to their families. The GPS tracker will alert our Emergency Resolution Centre if the device moves outside of pre-set locations. Family members can logon to the GPS monitoring website from a computer, tablet or mobile phone to view the current location details and history.
We are committed to being a ‘Dementia-Friendly’ organisation and the Emergency Resolution Centres have a proven track record of supporting people with dementia.
People with physical or learning disabilities
Telecare can be a valuable support tool for people with disabilities who want to maintain their independence while having the safety net of professional support if needed.
For those with physical disabilities, personal alarms and fall detectors can make it easier to call for help without needing to reach a phone. For individuals with learning disabilities, telecare can reduce anxiety and support daily routines, especially when used alongside prompts, sensors, or wellbeing check-in calls.
By ensuring that help is always on hand, telecare enables people with disabilities to live more independently, safely and confidently.
People with restricted mobility
Mobility issues can make everyday tasks more difficult and also increase the risk of falls or being unable to reach help in an emergency. Telecare systems are specifically designed to support people with reduced mobility by offering easy-to-use devices that can be worn around the home or garden.
In the event of a fall or difficulty moving, the alarm can be activated immediately, or in some cases, fall detectors will trigger an alert automatically, even if the person is unable to press a button.
Telecare provides an added sense of security for people with mobility problems, reducing the fear of being alone or stuck without assistance, which in turn can encourage greater confidence and independence in daily life.
Relatives and informal carers
Telecare services offer family and carers peace of mind about the well-being and safety of the person they care for.
The alarm user's family may not live locally, meaning they are unable to immediately help their loved ones should they fall or have an accident. A personal alarm will help to relieve the stress, guilt and worry that family members, friends and carers often experience.
The alarm users themselves will also feel safer in their homes. The knowledge that help is available to them 24-hours a day from telecare monitoring centres allows them to feel more confident going about their daily lives.
Healthcare professionals and public services
Health professionals and public services use telecare and technology enabled care to deliver better outcomes for the people they serve:
- NHS hospitals and healthcare professionals, including GPs and Occupational Therapists
- Local authorities and councils delivering social care
- Housing providers and associations working with older adults
Telecare benefits hospitals and health professionals by reducing unplanned hospital admissions. Without a personal fall alarm, an elderly person could be on the floor for hours after a fall. This could lead to further health complications or illnesses meaning they then get admitted to hospital as a result.
A common problem for many hospitals is that they do not have enough beds available for incoming patients. Some patients are unable to leave, despite being medically cleared, because they do not have organised care or support in place at home from carers or relatives. Discharge times can be reduced by ensuring appropriate support is in place at home with personal alarms.
Many people choose to get a personal alarm after recovering from a fall and having a telecare solution in their home may result in them staying out of hospital for the long term and help keep them safe.
Local authorities and housing providers
Caring for the elderly and the vulnerable has become ever more complex or challenging for local authorities and housing providers.
We help to bring telecare and monitoring to local authorities and housing providers, and remove worries about future investment whilst giving the residents the monitoring service they deserve.