Sensors in your home are linked through your phone line (not a mobile one) to a 24 hour monitoring centre. If the sensors detect a danger to you, they will automatically dial the staff at the monitoring centre who will immediately contact you. They will check on your well-being and take appropriate action such as contacting a friend or neighbour or calling the emergency services.
What sensors are available?
Home safety sensors
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Smoke detector
- Flood detector (for bathrooms/kitchens)
- Extreme temperature sensor (for both high and low temperatures)
- Emergency call buttons and pull cords - allow you to send an alert if you need help or reassurance
Personal sensors
- Fall detector - detects if you go unconscious during the day resulting in a fall
- Property exit sensor – alerts if a person with dementia may be at risk from leaving their home at an inappropriate time
- Bed absence sensor – sends an alert if you have a fall at night
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Night time epilepsy sensor – detects tonic-clonic type seizures during the night
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Enuresis detector – sends an alert if night time urinary incontinence occurs and soils bedding
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Reminders – can be used by an unpaid carer to set up regular reminders for key events
Who can get Telecare?
To get a Telecare system from us you must be eligible for long-term personal support and your assessment must show you would benefit from Telecare. The person who does your assessment will talk to you about this.
If you are not eligible for long-term personal support from us you can buy telecare systems privately. The Telecare Services Association website provides more information on suppliers.
If you live in the City of Nottingham contact Nottingham City Council about what is available from them.
How much does Telecare cost?
The sensors are installed free but there is a small weekly cost to cover ongoing service charges.
If you are getting a personal budget you can use this to pay for it.
Sensors in your home send an alert to a portable pager unit, which a carer can carry with them anywhere in the home. The range of sensors available is similar to the list shown above for Telecare.
Who can get these sensors?
You must have a carer’s assessment and be eligible for support from us. Your assessment must show that you would benefit from the service. The person who does your carer’s assessment can talk to you about the service.
How much does it cost?
The service is free if you are eligible following the carer’s assessment.
Just Checking uses a number of movement sensors to monitor which rooms you use, and any times when you leave your home. In effect the system becomes your ‘voice’ and tells both us and your carers how well you are managing at home.
We use this system for to assess how people with dementia are managing daily living activities.
Who can get Just Checking?
We may use Just Checking to help with our assessments for either long-term personal support, or short-term personal support. We only use the system for a short period, typically 2 – 4 weeks, to help with our assessment of future support needs.
How much does Just Checking cost?
The service is free during the short assessment period. In certain circumstances, it may be possible for family or carers to take over a Just Checking system on a long-term basis, but there is a charge for this. The current charges for Just Checking can be found on their website at http://www.justchecking.co.uk/the-system/carer.php Please talk to the worker who installed the Just Checking system if you would like to take over a system at the end of the assessment period.
If you are not eligible for long-term care from us you can get systems of sensors and alarms installed by contacting the suppliers direct.
Lifelines
A basic version of the Telecare system. You wear a personal alarm that connects to a 24 hour monitoring centre. If you activate the alarm the centre will contact you to check how you are. If neccessary they will then contact family, friends, neighbours or the emergency services.
There are many suppliers of lifeline systems. You can find details of them on the Telecare Services Association website.
Disabled Living Foundation
Their website provides more information about telecare and other systems and how it can help you and your carers to support your independence: www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/telecareandalarms
Preventing falls
We also have useful information and advice on preventing falls and fractures in older people.
