“Alexa – please play some Frank Sinatra”. “Alexa – what’s the weather going to be like today?” Questions to a non-existent person, answered almost immediately by said non-existent person. Welcome to the new tech-savvy world. A world which makes technology for older people and their families and Care Professionals a blessing, and something of a curse.
GPS trackable phones, shoes and people; online scams, voice recognition, surveillance and monitoring. You may feel anxious about technology and how it impacts upon the lives of your elderly parents or relatives.
We’ve researched a whole range of tech solutions and gadgets, some of which fall into the category of Technology Enabled Care (TEC) and include Telecare, Telehealth and technological aids for people needing dementia care. In this article we concentrate on Telecare and aspects of Telehealth.
The official definition of telecare is support provided at a distance using information and communication technology. It is the continuous, automatic and remote monitoring of people in the home by means of sensors.
This may all seem a bit Big Brother, but we have tried to demystify the subject by outlining here the key products you might want to consider, how they work, and where you can get more information about them.
One of the most useful products in the world of telecare is a falls monitor or personal alarm – such as a pendant or wristband – which the wearer can activate, should they take a tumble and can’t get up. They do of course depend on the wearer being able to activate the button, and to wear it in the first place and not “keep it safe” in a kitchen drawer.
The most basic falls monitor will sound an alarm when activated – it therefore assumes there is someone within hearing range to come to the rescue.
You may prefer to have a pendant with a base unit that works with the telephone. When the button is pushed, a call will automatically go via the telephone line to a monitoring centre, staffed 24/7 by trained operators.
You and your parents agree with the call-centre operator what their responses might be – to phone a relative or neighbour to go round, or worst-case scenario, call out an ambulance. You can also have the alarm call go through to a Care Professional or specified individual.
The base unit is a two way device enabling direct conversation with the monitoring centre – if you’re within chatting range of the base unit.
There are lots of monitoring centres around the UK, different services available, and a range of prices as well. You might want to consider a local one with local resources and access.
Your parents’ Local Authority may provide a telecare service which they may qualify for, or they may be eligible through NHS Continuing Care, or as part of their care package – so well worth checking these out.
Passive telecare
What do you do if the person wearing the pendant can’t or won’t activate it? The answer may lie in elements of “passive telecare”.
Through sensors placed around the house, or even in specific places such as the bed, or a favourite chair, passive telecare systems raise the alarm through the phone to the centre, if they register “out of the normal” behaviour. So, if someone falls over and is unable to get up, or activate the monitor, the sensors register the lack of movement within a set time, and will raise the alarm.
During our research, we found that telecare offers all sorts of monitoring: from kitchen activity, which could tell you if someone is eating regularly (opening the fridge door at a set time each day for example), to gas, water and carbon monoxide monitoring.
More sophisticated telecare and telehealth solutions can monitor individual health concerns, such as providing daily medication for example, or monitoring movements outside the home if someone goes wandering.
Here is a guide to other kinds of monitoring available:
There are also a range of products designed to alert you if, for example, the kettle hasn’t been boiled at its usual time of the morning, or the bedside light hasn’t been switched on. Simple gadgets that are very unintrusive whilst giving you peace of mind. Find more information on these and other products and services to make life better in the “life” section on Age Space’s website.
GPS location devices use a mobile network to raise an alert to a Care Professional or monitoring centre. There are also products that use their roaming SIM to provide text commands if someone has got themselves lost but is able to get home with some instructions. These devices may be in shoes, on phones or as watches, wristbands and pendants, and are extremely useful if someone has a tendency to wander.
Telehealth covers a wide range of services from online GP appointments via Skype, to pill reminders and heart rate monitors. It is worth exploring this area for solutions that might work for your parents or elderly loved ones. You can contact the Telecare Services Association to ensure you find a good provider.
There are a number of useful products specifically for people living with Dementia. These include LCD calendar clocks that not only give the time, but also the date and time of day (for example “10am, Tuesday 18 August, Afternoon”).
There are also excellent memory games for the elderly and other electronic solutions to help care for a parent or relative with this disease.
If you’re concerned about “spying” on your parents or elderly loved ones, fear not: there are plenty of ways to be sure they’re safe and well without being intrusive. What we would say however, is that no amount of technology replaces human contact, nor should it. Hopefully Alexa will never be asked to keep an eye on mum for the afternoon.
If you need more information, check out our other blog post about Telecare, Telehealth, home adaptations and aids.
This post was written by Annabel James at Age Space. Annabel James is the founder of Agespace.org: a one-stop online resource for anyone caring about or supporting elderly parents and relatives. The website signposts to some of the best local services and solutions for all aspects of elderly care.