Citywide Sensory and Telecare Service

Meet telecare coordinator JP Pretorius, who tells us how his job helps to give confidence to vulnerable adults. JP tells us about the benefits of the equipment.

What are the benefits of the telecare and assistive technology equipment?

Telecare and assistive technology equipment helps to support people to become more independent and safer in their day-to-day lives. This gives them confidence, as well as reassurance to their family members. The technology has a positive impact on both the person and their family and carers.

JP Pretorius - Telecare co-ordinator

What do you enjoy most about your job?

One of the greatest things about my job is going back to visit people to find out how the equipment is helping them. It is amazing to see what a difference telecare and assistive technology equipment can make to someone.

We recently provided equipment, including a lifeline pendant, to a lady with cerebral palsy who is a full-time wheelchair user and lives with her parents. Her parents felt unable to leave her in the house alone as they were worried in case she needed assistance.

When I went back to visit her and her family it was so lovely to hear that the equipment had given her the confidence to be in the house alone as she knew she could press the pendant if she needed assistance.

Her parents also told me that they now felt able to pop out to the shops as they have peace of mind that their daughter can request help should she need it. It was great to see that the equipment has increased her independence and provide her family with reassurance.

How else can assistive technology be used?

We work really closely with our colleagues in health, especially those who work at the hospital, as telecare technology can be really useful in supporting people who have been in hospital to safely return to their own home. The equipment can provide that added bit of security that help can be sought quickly should it be needed.

How can be people access this support?

People can access this support by calling the direct telecare number 01482 318 700. We also take a lot of internal referrals from other Adult Social Care Teams.

Find more information about telecare or how to access the Kingston Lifeline service here

Telecare plays an important role in enabling individuals to maintain their independence, supporting them through a variety of sensors and alarms which either alert the individual or the lifeline call handlers to an issue. It supports individuals to remain independent and reduces their reliance on long term services by ensuring that there is an alarm be raised, enabling individuals to manage their own medication and providing peace of mind to carers and relatives.

Telecare services include:

• A range of sensor options which best meet client needs and support them to live independently at home.
• Verbal response from the lifeline call handlers when an alarm is raised with a personal responder contacted where needed.
• A responder service (to be launched later in the year for adult social care clients).

There are three elements of the Community Telecare Service:

1. Telecare Assessors –who will be aware of new technology, practices and application within Telecare, assessing private and adult social care clients for both standard and bespoke packages. Telecare assessors are part of the City Sensory and Telecare Support Services Team.
2. Operational Telecare Team –who will install and maintain all Telecare packages and manage the call centre which responds to alerts. The operational Telecare Team sit within Housing Services
3. Responder Team –A 24/7 team who will respond in person to alerts where needed; either solving the presenting problem or calling for a FIRST or 999 response.

Telecare is available to all Hull City Council residents and they do not have to have an adult social care need to access it; individuals can access telecare either by a direct request or via contact with adult social care.

There is a weekly charge for Telecare which covers equipment hire, maintenance, connection to the Lifeline call handlers, and an additional optional charge for access to the responder service. The amount an individual is charged will depend on whether they are paying for other adult social care services and their ability to pay

There is a specialist Sensory function within the City Sensory and Telecare Support Service, consisting of Social Workers, Sensory Advisors, and Rehab Officers. They work specifically with individuals who have sensory impairments which impact their independence and wellbeing.

Referrals are made to the Sensory function either through contacting them directly, via See & Solve, or from other social care teams; they also support individuals needing sensory support on discharge from hospital.

There is a specialist Sensory function within the City Sensory and Telecare Support Service, consisting of Social Workers, Sensory Advisors, and Rehab Officers. They work specifically with individuals who have sensory impairments which impact their independence and wellbeing.

The Sensory function works with both individuals on a short term and long term basis depending on the level of support required and whether they are able to live independently following short term support.