Essex County Council has reported on the success of its free Telecare Home Safety Service, which is enabling elderly people in Essex to live safely and independently in their own homes. The service, which has already benefitted over 2500 residents aged 80 and over in the last 10 months, is free to sign up to until the 31st of March 2010*.
Essex County Council is using intelligent telecare solutions from Tunstall Healthcare. The solutions give users peace of mind by bringing support directly into their homes, enabling them to call for assistance when needed.
A recent survey of users of the Telecare Home Safety Service and their carers, commissioned by Essex County Council, showed that users were 100% satisfied with the service they received, while 89% of carers felt the key benefit of the service for them was peace of mind.
One user stated: "No matter how careful you are, something will always happen, to know that someone is available at the press of a button is a good feeling."
The survey has also shown that many residents sign up to the free service because they fear falling, live alone or because it helps them maintain independence and provides peace of mind to their loved ones and carers.
A total of 271 users and 19 carers took part in Essex County Council's survey. 74% of respondents were living alone, with carers typically looking after a family member.
Alison Rogan, group marketing director for Tunstall, said: "Telecare promotes independence and well-being, transforming the lives of older people and those with long-term needs. Essex County Council's investment in telecare reflects their commitment to promoting independence at home, transforming the lives of older people and those with long-term needs by providing a personalised package of care.
"As well as providing some extremely positive feedback from users, the survey has demonstrated that telecare also gives carers invaluable reassurance that immediate help is on hand when needed. This enhances their quality of life and gives confidence that their loved ones are being looked after."
The Essex Telecare Home Safety Service offers a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year home safety package designed to maintain the independence of elderly or vulnerable groups by enabling them to access assistance via the County's monitoring centres.
Related news articles:
- Tunstall's Profile
* The Essex Telecare Home Safety Service is available on a 12 month free trial to all Essex residents 80 and over. It is only available to new users of telecare, and not to those living in Thurrock and Southend.
About Tunstall
Tunstall Healthcare Group is the market leading provider of telehealthcare solutions, with over 2.5 million users globally. Tunstall's solutions support older people and those with long-term needs, to live independently, by effectively managing their health and well-being. Tunstall provides technology, expertise and advice to millions of people enabling them to lead independent more fulfilling lives. For more information on how telehealthcare can improve quality of life, visit www.tunstallhealth.com.