A housing scheme is helping to prevent accidents, illness and even hospitalisation among older residents in South London by using the latest technology to spot changes in their behaviour. The scheme, which is being piloted by Southwark Council, uses sensors to monitor residents' activity in the home and sends an alert to social care staff when there is any change to their usual routine.
As a result of the technology, staff supporting a Southwark sheltered housing unit have been able to spot illnesses at an early stage, including a number of cases of dehydration which were prevented during the heat wave when low food and drink intake was noted.
The equipment also checks whether residents have taken important medication and can even help staff in making the correct diagnosis for some patients with mental health conditions.
Family members have also been using the hi-tech system, to check on the well-being of older relatives by logging into a website that records their movements.
Plans to extend the pilot using other forms of technology to make life easier and safer for older people are currently underway.
Sensors that react after a fall, lights that respond when people get out of bed at night, and gas hobs that automatically turn off if someone forgets they are cooking will soon be piloted in other Southwark homes.
Councillor Denise Capstick, executive member for health and adult care at Southwark Council, said: "This is a very exciting scheme using the latest technology to help older people retain their independence and get the confidence and support they need to live in their own homes.
"The possibilities around this sort of technology are endless - we are currently carrying out a pilot so that we can find the most effective way of applying this hi-tech approach before making it available across the whole borough."
The scheme is being supported by a two year Preventative Technology Grant from central Government, and is being run in partnership with In Touch (a subsidiary of Hyde Housing).
The technology, which is called Quiet Care, is being supplied by Living Independently and utilises a system of monitors, to build a picture of an individual's behaviour patterns and raise alerts when these patterns change. It allows professionals and family members to monitor individuals without continually entering their homes.
Source: www.24dash.com