Giving care and reassurance in Birmingham

Use of low level, stand alone telecare equipment in Birmingham is helping to keep service users safe and reassure their carers.

The city’s telecare service recently carried out a review of the impact of standalone telecare equipment during 2009/10, and have compiled the following summary of results (Client names have been changed):

Keith, 74 years, Just Checking (electronic sensor monitoring system) – Is proving very helpful to the family. User had assured his daughters he was going to bed and sleeping well, but they were worried because his bed often appeared not to be slept in. Just Checking confirmed that he rarely went upstairs, and cat-napped in his armchair, getting up frequently during the night. The family moved his bed downstairs. His sleep, and general functioning, improved.

Connie, 80 years, Pill Dispenser (automatically dispenses pills at programmed times) -Equipment a brilliant help. Daughter much less stressed when she saw her mother was taking medication regularly. Although use of the dispenser stopped when Connie moved into a nursing home, it helped maintain her independence for longer than envisaged –she was on the verge of being admitted to care when equipment was supplied.

John, 88 years, Pill Dispenser - Equipment proving a “godsend” to son and daughter who care for John. He functions better with a controlled medication regime.

Barbara, 64 years, Bed Exit Monitor - Equipment really helpful to daughter. Instead of leaving her bedroom door open and listening for her mother getting up, she could sleep much better knowing the pager would alert her should her mother get out of bed.

Helen, 88 years, Just Checking - Daughter reported: “while mom was living on her own in the flat, the system gave us all peace of mind, and although circumstances dictated that we could not be with her 24 hours a day, at least we could check that she was OK. Thank you for the excellent service."

Francise, 88 years, Just Checking - Family say it is an absolutely brilliant system. Daughter in Spain monitors the data. It gives her something to talk about when she calls her mother. Any concerns can also be discussed with other family members. The system has considerably improved the family’s quality of life and continues to help Francise be independent.

Peter, 67 years, PIR Sensor & Pager - Peter was terminally ill and confined to a medical bed. He could only be discharged home if equipment was in place to alert his wife should he try to get up. Due to the size of his bed he had to sleep downstairs and his wife slept upstairs. Peter died 5 weeks after returning home. However his wife reported it was marvellous to have use of the equipment which gave her peace of mind, and allowed Peter to pass away at home with dignity