You should always feel safe in the comfort of your own home. But, unfortunately, that’s not the case for everyone.
According to a recent report by Ageing Well Without Children, more than 1 million childless people aged 65+ are ‘dangerously unsupported’. What’s more, the number of childless older people in the UK is expected to double by 2030.
If you don’t have any children – or friends and relatives nearby – you may feel vulnerable, isolated or at risk of having an accident. Telecare services can give you confidence in your independence. They’re tailored for a variety of situations, all designed to help you feel safe and secure at home.
Pendant alarm
This discrete solution can be worn around your neck or wrist. With help available 24/7, it allows you to raise an alarm at the press of a button. Importantly, it uses a frequency that won’t interfere with any other medical equipment you may be using. This is the ideal solution if you:
- are living with dementia, epilepsy, heart disease or at risk of domestic violence. We have written more about the scenarios where you might need a personal alarm here.
- have a disability or long term condition.
- have recently returned from hospital or have a short-term condition.
- are feeling vulnerable and worried about your safety or security.
- are living alone and at risk of falling.
Fall detector
According to the Later Life in the United Kingdom 2019 report from Age UK, around a third of people aged 65+, and half of people 80+, fall at least once a year.
Our fall detector can make you feel more secure if you’re living alone, are disabled or have other medical conditions, e.g. epilepsy. It can be worn on a cord around your neck (or wrist) and will automatically alert our monitoring centre if you’ve fallen over. Read our practical guide for minimising falls here.
Sound & flashing beacon
In the UK, 95% of people with sight problems are 65 or over. There are also nearly 9 million people who are deaf or hard of hearing; 2 million use hearing aids.
Sound and flashing beacons can be life-saving aids for people with hearing or visual impairments. The intuitive solution combines light with a loud siren – alerting you to danger. For example, it will communicate with your smoke detector in the event of a fire.
Medication dispenser
For many, taking daily medication can be the difference between life and death. But it can be easy to forget – especially as we get older. A medication dispenser uses an alarm and a flashing light to remind you when to take your medicine. It will make sure the correct dose is available at the right time – day or night. Importantly, if you don’t access your medication at the expected time, an alert is raised to our 24-hour monitoring centre.
If you’re struggling to remember things, check our memory loss infographic to see if a medication prompt – or any other telecare service – can help.
What happens next?
All of these alarms work in combination with our personal alarm service; wireless sensors throughout the home can raise an audible alarm. This will alert a carer, key holder – or the monitoring centre. Reassuringly, our staff are available 24/7 and 97.5% of calls are answered in 60 seconds. Our teams are specially trained and someone will be available at the press of a button – even if you can’t get to the phone.
You can find out more about the types of telecare services we provide here.
If you’d like to arrange a demonstration, get in touch. Call us on 0300 333 6511 or email: [email protected]