AskTara carries users' views on products, and their tips on other useful gadgets available on the high street. The site is customised to reflect the branding of local councils and sits on each of the region’s 14 local authority websites; allowing residents and practitioners to find information relevant to their area.
TARA stands for Technology and ReAblement. The site is regularly updated with new products and information on service developments. It was developed by the social enterprise, Community Gateway CIC, in partnership with the JIP and Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands.
You can view the progress on the site at: http://www.joined-up-software.com/index.php/every-day-living-needs.html
Fact sheet:
AskTARA - your local council’s answer to helping vulnerable people stay safe and independent at home using assistive technology and telecare.
1. What is AskTARA?
AskTARA is a dedicated online resource for those eligible for social services support. It gives information on the assistive technology and telecare products your council provides, and other services offered, including how to be assessed. TARA stands for Technology and ReAblement.
2. What about people who are not eligible for funding?
AskTARA has a sister site called TheCommunityGateway.com, which is for all potential users of assistive technology and telecare. It works in the same way as AskTARA, but the catalogue has a more comprehensive list of products, including those not issued by your social services or health provider
3. Where can I find it?
You can find AskTARA on your local council website on the home page of the Adult Social Care Services. Users can visit as guests without the need to register, or create accounts to rgister, or create accounts to save searches. 4. Is it easy to use?
Yes. It is similar to the popular Amazon site and was designed to be
simple to use. The menu and home page give clear instructions on how to use the site. Users can quickly navigate their way around and find telecare and assistive technology products to suit their particular needs. A special feature of the site is that users can write their own Tags for products, and share these easy to read descriptions with others.
5. How will I know what products to choose?
As well as listing the products and equipment the council provides, AskTARA carries reviews by other users about what works well and what doesn’t; similar to TripAdvisor reviews of hotels. Some of the products have videos showing how they work, and others have downloadable instructions and information, helping to decide what might be best, but also handy if instructions get lost. Apart from finding out for themselves what products are available, users can make more informed choices. The site complements what your authority provides already, and is not intended to replace advice and expertise from a practitioner, nor a full assessment.
6. How does it work?
When users have chosen products they think are suitable, these are added to a ‘wish list’ for consideration by social services who will assess their suitability with the user.
For councils operating the Retail Model, users can review products which have been prescribed for them, and make informed decisions based on reading other users’ reviews and feedback. Practitioners too can read reviews to learn how users use prescribed equipment.
7. Who runs the website?
AskTARA and TheCommunityGateway.com have been developed by The Gateway Community CIC, a social enterprise in partnership with the West Midlands Joint Improvement Partnership, and Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands. We are professionals and practitioners from health and social care working extensively on personalised care.
TheCommunityGateway.com is a national online catalogue providing a more comprehensive range of telecare and assistive technology products. It carries products which social services and health authorities do not provide. Whilst aimed at users, it is useful to anyone involved in assessing and planning personalised care.
AskTARA is the bespoke catalogue for those councils or health authorities who subscribe to the site. As well containing your own catalogue, it has local information on how to be assessed, and can be branded with your own logo, and organisation’s name.
The Community Gateway CIC maintains the site; moderating comments and Tags proposed by visitors; deleting old products, and keeping it up to date with new products, images, videos and descriptions.
8. How will users of equipment benefit from using AskTARA?
People who use telecare and assistive technology will know what equipment exists to help keep them safe and independent at home. It will also make local services more accessible to them.
9. How will commissioners of equipment benefit from using AskTARA?
Commissioners will improve their knowledge of the telecare and assistive technology market to support their preventative and early intervention strategies. The Community Gateway CIC can also offer commissioners reports on product quality and usage; what people search for; what they are unable to find, and what equipment is issued by other commissioners.
10. What are the advantages of subscribing to AskTARA?
It is an ‘off the peg’ site which prevents unnecessary duplication and costs. Subscribers can adapt the site for their own use, but will also have access to a national pool of shared information on latest products and equipment, and how they are being used.
AskTARA will help councils achieve their obligations under the Putting People First agenda, to provide information for users, and support early intervention and prevention measures.
For further information contact us at info@thecommunitygateway.org.uk or 0844 736 5718.
11. How can I find out more?
No comments:
Post a Comment