Taking Care Safe Home Alert

Frequently asked questions

• What does the order include?

  The Taking Care Safe Home Alert package includes 5 motion and room temperature sensors, 2 door sensors, fridge sensor and 2 smart plugs for the kettle and microwave. It also includes a hub that the sensors and smart plug communicate with. Your loved one will receive a personal alarm pendant that can be worn around the neck or wrist and an alarm base unit that must be connected to a telephone landline.

  We will setup the equipment and this service is included in the one-off cost.

  Also included is access to a secure website to view activity and routine insights.

• What does my loved one need to use the package?

  They will need broadband internet, a telephone landline and a router with a spare network port to use this package.

  The sensors and smart plug use Wi-Fi to communicate with the hub unit. The hub must be connected to a router using an ethernet network cable.

  The personal alarm pendant calls our Emergency Resolution team via the alarm base unit that must be connected to a telephone landline. If the Wi-Fi or broadband connection goes down, your loved one can still call us using the personal alarm pendant. 

• Can you use the package if you don't have broadband internet?

  No, your loved one will need an internet connection. If they do not have broadband, there are mobile broadband solutions available. However, we do not currently support these.

• Can you use the package if you don't have a telephone landline?

  No, the telephone landline is needed by the alarm base unit to call us when the alarm pendant’s button is pressed.

• Can I order the Safe Home Alert for more than one person?

  The sensors are designed to monitor the activity of someone living alone. The Safe Home Alert package is not suitable for households of more than one person. We do however offer emergency personal alarms and elderly fall alarms for two people living at the same address.

• What kind of alerts does your Emergency Resolution team receive?

  We will be alerted if your loved one's first morning activity is not detected, if there is no movement in a high risk area or if the front or back door has been left open.

  If your loved one presses their personal alarm pendant button, we will also be alerted and will speak with your loved one over the alarm equipment.

• What routine insights will I receive?

  Activity detected by the sensors can be viewed through the secure website using a computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device. Gradual changes in daily routine are shared as actionable insights on the website. 

  Insights include movement around the home, temperature levels, increased activity at night and time spent in bed. Depending on where the sensors and smart plugs are used, you can gain insights into bathroom usage, how often they go into particular rooms or areas of the house and when an electrical device is used, for example a fridge, kettle or microwave.

• How are these sensors installed?

  We will install the package for your loved one. This is included in the one-off cost.

  One of our professional team of installers will visit the home to set-up and test the equipment. They will demonstrate how it works and answer any questions. We will call within two weeks of receiving your order to arrange a suitable time for the installation. There are morning or afternoon appointments, Monday to Friday.

  No electrical work or rewiring is required.

• How are the sensors fitting around the home?

  The door and wall sensors are attached with removable stick-on tabs or small screws. The smart plugs are placed directly into your existing electrical sockets.

• How long do the batteries in the sensors last?

  Each sensor has a battery that will typically last for a year. The personal alarm pendant has a 5 year battery life and low battery warning. If the batteries in the sensors or pendant need replacing, then we will do this free of charge.

• What happens if there is fault with any of the equipment?

  If your loved one's equipment develops a fault or stops working at any time whilst they are a customer, we will either repair or replace the equipment for them. If the batteries in the sensors or pendant need replacing, then we'll change these too. There is no charge for this service.

• What does the set-up cost include?

  The set-up cost includes setting up your account and registering you as a customer. We will also install Taking Care Safe Home Alert for you.

• What's included in the subscription?

  The subscription includes 24-hour monitoring by our Emergency Resolution team. We have three UK based Emergency Resolution Centres so you can feel reassured that help is available any time of the day or night.

• Are the sensors and smart plug safe to be left on all the time?

  Yes, the equipment is safe to be left turned on. In fact, this is required so your loved one’s activity patterns can be monitored. 

• What maintenance do the sensors need?

  Our sensors will not require any maintenance from your loved one. When the batteries need replacing, the equipment will notify us and we will arrange with your loved one to replace them free of charge.

• Are the sensors watching and recording my loved one?

  No. The platform does not include cameras, video or audio recording equipment. It only uses sensors which passively monitor activity in the home.

• What happens to data collected by the sensors and smart plug?

  We value your loved one's privacy. The data is visible to you or your loved one's friends through the secure website, if you grant them access. Taking Care and our technology partner Anthropos have secure access to data. Your loved one's data will not be shared with any other third parties. 

• How do I provide you with the details of my emergency contacts?

  If you order online or by telephone and provide an email address, you will receive an order confirmation email with a link to an online account setup form. If you do not have an email address, you can complete and return the form included in your welcome pack.

  Please return either form so that we have the following details available in case an emergency alarm call is made:

  Emergency contacts – so we know whom to contact in an emergency, please provide the names, addresses and phone numbers of family, friends or neighbours. We will also ask if your contacts are keyholders that can access your home in an emergency.

  Medical details – so we can arrange the most appropriate help in an emergency, please provide details of any medical conditions.

  Key safe – if you have a key safe, let us know the code and location so we can get help to you in an emergency.

  If you prefer, you can provide this information by calling Customer Services on 0800 023 4301, Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.

• Do I own the equipment?

  The equipment is rented from us for the duration of your contract. This means that if the equipment develops a fault, we will repair or replace it free of charge. When you no longer require our service, we will provide a freepost Royal Mail return collection bag to make it as easy as possible to return the equipment.