Social Services & Health. Care at Home. Community Alarm/Telecare Service

Transcription

1 Social Services & Health Care at Home Community Alarm/Telecare Service

2 Help at the touch of a button What is the Community Alarm/Telecare Service? The Community Alarm/Telecare Service is an emergency service that assists people of all ages who need some extra support to live safely at home. It s available to anyone who lives in North Ayrshire and gives you, your carer and your family peace of mind that you can call for assistance in an emergency, any time of the day or night. Here are some examples of when Community Alarms/Telecare can help you - Carers who need support to help look after the person they care for Disability due to clinical/medical condition such as epilepsy, MS or heart condition Sudden illness Isolated or housebound due to disability, regardless of age Risks created by dementia Anxiety about living alone 1

3 How does it work? We install an alarm unit by connecting it to the telephone line in your home. Calling for help could not be easier - you simply press a button on a pendant, which can be worn around the neck, on a wrist strap or clipped on. This dials our monitoring station which is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by fully trained operators. The operator can speak to you through a speaker system you don t need to lift the handset. They will talk to you to find out what kind of help you might need. The operator will then send assistance, if required, depending on the nature of the call. The operator is able to request the assistance of: GP or Emergency Services Fire or Police Next of Kin The Council s Care at Home Assistants Support providers Our Care at Home Assistants have specialised training in various aspects of personal care and are able to provide practical and emotional support in an emergency situation. 2

4 What is available? There are a range of sensors that are linked to the alarm unit. They are fitted discreetly around your home and most are wireless. They can monitor environmental risks such as smoke and carbon monoxide or personal risks such as falls. Some examples of sensors include: Smoke Detectors Carbon Monoxide Detectors Flood Detectors Fall Detectors Bed Exit Sensors Door Exit Sensors 3

5 What will it cost me? There is a charge of 4 per week for the service. Some people may not need to pay - it depends on your income and your ability to pay. We can carry out an assessment of your financial circumstances to determine whether you will be charged. Carers Support Equipment This type of equipment can help to support a carer or family member caring for someone in the same property. It sends an alert to the Carer or family member s personal pager not the Monitoring Station. There is no charge for the Carers Support Equipment. How do I get the Service? You should request this service from your local Social Services office. Details are at the back of this leaflet. A member of staff will visit you to explain the system and discuss whether the service is right for your needs. If we agree that you could benefit form this service, we will arrange for the alarm unit to be installed. 4

6 Your Comments, Concerns, Complaints and Compliments We welcome all feedback about our services. If you have a comment, concern, complaint or compliment about our services or about a decision or action we have taken then please let us know about it. You can fill in our Listening and Learning leaflet which you can find at your local Reception Services office, details are on the back of this leaflet. Or you can visit: We will use the feedback you provide to help us improve our service to you and to others. 5

7 Our local offices are open Monday to Thursday, 9am till 4.45pm and 4.30pm on a Friday. If you are under 65 contact Caley Court Resource Centre, Moorpark Road West, Stevenston, KA20 3HU, If you are over 65 contact your local Social Work office. Irvine Social Work Office 3rd Floor Bridgegate House Irvine KA12 8BQ Arran Local Office Council Offices Clauchlands Road Lamlash KA27 8LB Saltcoats Social Work Office 17 Vernon Street Saltcoats KA21 5HE Largs Social Work Office Brooksby Medical & Resource Centre 31 Brisbane Road Largs KA30 8LH Kilbirnie Social Work Office Craigton Road Kilbirnie KA25 6LJ Social Work Ayrshire Out of Hours Visit our website at: and search for community alarms/telecare. 6

8 This document can also be made available in other formats such as audiotape, CD, braille and in large print. It can also be made in other languages, on request.