Evaluation of care services for older people with mental health problems in Herefordshire show positive results.
Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire joined forces over a year ago to provide 24 hour domiciliary care services for older people with mental health problems.
The aim was to give individuals the choice of living at home, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, reduce long-term residential or nursing care admissions, and improve support for family carers.
Services include:
· Homecare in partnership with Sure Care Services
· Roving night service coordinated by the council’s Intermediate Care Service
· Assistive technology such as activity monitoring, Smart phones and fall sensors.
The scheme started as a pilot in south Herefordshire and has now been rolled out across the borough.
The evaluation of 37 service users shows:
· 78 per cent who were at risk of long term residential or nursing care still lived at home after six months and 57 per cent after a year
· 37 per cent improved and 59 per cent of individuals maintained their level of functioning and dependency
· a reduction of 43 per cent in residential and nursing home admissions in the pilot area
· potential savings of over £100k in first year of operation for the 37 identified service users.
Herefordshire is a finalist at the regional Health and Social Care Awards 2009 under the Innovative Health and Social Care Technology category.
Contact Herefordshire Council Health and Social Care; telephone: 01432 361600.
Friday, 6 November 2009
Falls technology put to the test
A bid for funding to carry out a review of technology used to detect falls among older people has been submitted to NHS West Midlands.
Falls are a major cause of death and injury in people aged over 65 and roughly 800 people fall every day in the region.
Previous studies show automatic fall detectors can reduce falls and the fear of falling. But the take up of this technology is low in the West Midlands.
The review will assess current falls detection technology, identify reasons for poor take up, help develop better products, and recommend improvements to assessment and referral processes.
The bid has been put together by representatives from the West Midlands Regional Telehealthcare Network, the JIP, West Midlands ADASS, Coventry University, and MidTech. If the bid is successful the review will start at the end of November 2009.
For further information contact Sue Williams, JIP Project Development Manager; telephone: 01905 796799, email: swilliams@westmidlandsiep.gov.uk
Falls are a major cause of death and injury in people aged over 65 and roughly 800 people fall every day in the region.
Previous studies show automatic fall detectors can reduce falls and the fear of falling. But the take up of this technology is low in the West Midlands.
The review will assess current falls detection technology, identify reasons for poor take up, help develop better products, and recommend improvements to assessment and referral processes.
The bid has been put together by representatives from the West Midlands Regional Telehealthcare Network, the JIP, West Midlands ADASS, Coventry University, and MidTech. If the bid is successful the review will start at the end of November 2009.
For further information contact Sue Williams, JIP Project Development Manager; telephone: 01905 796799, email: swilliams@westmidlandsiep.gov.uk
Recording and reporting telecare – how do you do it?
The Joint Improvement Partnership (JIP) wants to know how local councils are recording and reporting on the use of telecare.
By gathering this information the JIP aims to develop a more systematic and regional approach to recording and reporting, and show how telecare impacts on personalisation.
Information can be sent to Sue Williams, JIP Project Development Manager; telephone: 01905 796799, email: swilliams@westmidlandsiep.gov.uk
By gathering this information the JIP aims to develop a more systematic and regional approach to recording and reporting, and show how telecare impacts on personalisation.
Information can be sent to Sue Williams, JIP Project Development Manager; telephone: 01905 796799, email: swilliams@westmidlandsiep.gov.uk
Assistive technology - Staffordshire Council round up
Examples of current work within districts and use of assistive technology:
Automatic Pills Dispenser
The project continues to gather momentum. Working closely with the PCTs and local pharmacy committees, briefings have taken place and because of the tremendous support from community pharmacies a number of training sessions are being run across the County in November. Staffordshire County Equipment Centre will distribute the dispensers to local teams, maintain them and offer on-site technical support to pharmacists as they become familiar with the installation and set up.
Building on this work each district has now identified a link worker to work with local pharmacists to develop joint working, information exchange and new ways to improve support to local communities.
Staffordshire’s initial learning from this project will be shared at the regional LTC Telehealthcare conference on 24/11/09
Tamworth
Staffordshire Fire Service risk reduction technicians are installing telecare technology in partnership with County and District Councils, offering an integrated, comprehensive and timely risk reduction assessment.
The assistive technology (AT) demonstration facilities based with District Council Offices continues attract visitors and build understanding of AT as a preventative and assessment tool
BUDDI GPS technology is being used within the Community to offer support and monitoring
Newcastle
BUDDI GPS technology is being used as part of the assessment process and in one case has been given to a former postman in the early stages of dementia allowing him to still go out for walks. The unit will remain with the man as part of his maintenance package.
Are also developing an Enablement facility for adults with a Disability. This will be based on proactively planning with people of all ages who may wish to receive support to develop independency, inclusive of Assistive Technology. This project will also utilise the IQ system from Halliday James who have recently awarded the Newcastle Wellbeing team £10,000 worth of Technology which is specifically suited to adults with a Disability as it focuses on the Whole person and assessing that person and develops bespoke packages of support not reliant on physical support on every occasion.
The I-health flat in Chesterton continues to attract visitors and actively promotes the latest technology
Stafford
Assistive Technology was promoted at the recent Care2Share event held for careers and has already led to requests for automatic pill dispensers, memo minders and volunteers to trial a new Portable pendant alarm system being tested in the County.
Promotion of AT to partners continues. Awareness raising of AT as an assessment and preventative tool with housing colleagues has started.
Cannock Chase
The County’s first Telehealth pilot will commence in January 2010 jointly funded by the district and South Staffordshire PCT. A multiagency project board is coordinating the implementation and evaluation.
Planning is underway for an assessment and demonstration suite to be located within Cannock Hospital to promote understanding and use of the whole range of assistive technologies.
A property housing threee adults with learning disabilities is being developed into a SMART house to support assessment of needs, promote independence and offer the most appropriate support without compromising privacy and personal space for the tenants.
The 2008 DH evaluation of Just Checking continues to stimulate interest and recently support has been given to Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Dudley Councils in their implementation of the scheme.
Moorlands
Regular multiagency meetings are held to promote and explore the use of AT across a very rural district. This approach is helping to develop an integrated approach to assessment and problem solving.
Close working with Leek Moorlands Hospital and the Staying at home Scheme has led to the use of Just Checking in helping to assess and manage risks in the community. It has challenged assumptions about the ability of someone with dementia to live in their own home where they are familiar with surroundings and are able to follow their longstanding daily routines. The integrated approach of the current support plan which includes five days day care, family support and the just checking system has supported the individual and their family to achieve their goal of remaining at home and not enter a residential care home.
East Staffordshire
Working closely with Trent and Dove Housing the District has developed a joint initiative of providing Assistive Technology devices for both new and existing customers of First Call, with Trent and Dove being able to direct order these ‘preventative’ devices from our County Equipment Centre, therefore alleviating any delay in the provision of these vital pieces of equipment. From evaluations there is proof that this is really promoting the health and wellbeing of customers, preventing hospital admissions and maintaining the safety of our most vulnerable citizens. Examples include:
1 Male aged 90 years; a medication dispenser was provided which ensured that F took vital medication.
2 Female having frequent falls resulting in medical support being recruited far earlier
3 Female received assistance re both falls and from flooding in her bathroom
4 87 year old lady prone to wandering late at night, son alerted who returned mum home
Plans are being prepared to develop an AT Property to showcase AT and aid assessments.
South Staffordshire
Joint working with District Council and South Staffordshire PCT is leading to the opening Lichfield
Close working with housing providers has led to improved understanding of assessment for and delivery of assistive technology across the district. Regular local meetings have led to reduced paperwork and a more flexible, innovative and personalised response to needs.
The District has a link worker who will work with the monthly Burntwood Alzheimer’s Café and will help promote AT along with other social care and health services for people with dementia and their carers.
The use of the LOC8TOR technology is successfully helping maintain a woman who is always misplacing her purse and accusing family, friends and care workers of taking it. The LOC8TOR is used to find the missing purse, helping to reassure the woman who otherwise would ban support from her home and quickly deteriorate without her support plan.
Contact:
Jim Ellam, Assistive Technology Project Lead, Joint Commissioning Unit, Staffordshire County Council, Walton Building, PO Box 11, Martin Street, Stafford ST16 2LHTel: 01785 278554 / Mobile: 07966 857526, E-mail: jim.ellam@staffordshire.gov.ukwww.staffordshire.gov.uk
My Care, My Way DVD
Sandwell MBC has made a DVD to promote three of its social care services to local people.
Funded from the PCT’s Choosing Health budget, the brief was to produce a film for older people, by them, focusing on services that were not well known.
The services are:
Extra care – offering self contained accommodation with 24 hour on site professional staff, to older people with care and support needs who want to keep their independence
Telecare – providing equipment and monitoring to help individuals live independently and safely in their own homes
Individual budgets – whereby individuals may receive cash, services or a mix of both based on a care plan in which they have direct input.
For copies of My Care, My Way, contact the communications team; telephone: 0121 569 3031
Funded from the PCT’s Choosing Health budget, the brief was to produce a film for older people, by them, focusing on services that were not well known.
The services are:
Extra care – offering self contained accommodation with 24 hour on site professional staff, to older people with care and support needs who want to keep their independence
Telecare – providing equipment and monitoring to help individuals live independently and safely in their own homes
Individual budgets – whereby individuals may receive cash, services or a mix of both based on a care plan in which they have direct input.
For copies of My Care, My Way, contact the communications team; telephone: 0121 569 3031
NHS offers free intelligence
The NHS Information Centre is providing free information about adult social care services and performance across the country that can be used for monitoring and benchmarking.
Launched in July this year, the National Adult Social Care Intelligence Service (NASCIS) is being developed as the single authoritative source of social care data for practitioners and commissioners.
Set up in partnership with the Department of Health, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and other national bodies, it is designed to improve service delivery.
NASCIS provides up to date consistent data and indicators, to allow benchmarking, monitoring and comparisons between services, for example scrutinising the take up of direct payments and personal budgets, or finding out how much is spent on particular services in specific areas.
Click here for details
Launched in July this year, the National Adult Social Care Intelligence Service (NASCIS) is being developed as the single authoritative source of social care data for practitioners and commissioners.
Set up in partnership with the Department of Health, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and other national bodies, it is designed to improve service delivery.
NASCIS provides up to date consistent data and indicators, to allow benchmarking, monitoring and comparisons between services, for example scrutinising the take up of direct payments and personal budgets, or finding out how much is spent on particular services in specific areas.
Click here for details
Online market for personal assistants
Plans are in place to develop new computer software that will allow service users to book personal assistants and other services online.
Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands (IEWM), has joined with information technology firm Opportunity Links, and online booking service Booking Bug, to develop the software for free as part of the social care transformation agenda.
It is estimated by April 2011, 30 per cent of people eligible for social care will receive individual budgets. Many will want to directly recruit personal assistants to provide domiciliary care and can do so through the online booking service. .
Click here for details
Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands (IEWM), has joined with information technology firm Opportunity Links, and online booking service Booking Bug, to develop the software for free as part of the social care transformation agenda.
It is estimated by April 2011, 30 per cent of people eligible for social care will receive individual budgets. Many will want to directly recruit personal assistants to provide domiciliary care and can do so through the online booking service. .
Click here for details
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