Chubb Community Care

A Real Lifesaver Tower Hamlets

Published 12^th October 2009

Hundreds of vulnerable people in the borough are benefiting from a lifesaving service.

Tower Hamlets Council offers a trailblazing free telecare service for people with low to moderate care needs.

The telecare service provides a range of alarms and sensors installed in the home to monitor falls enabling people to live independently in their own homes.

The service consists of a basic package featuring a telecare unit and a pendant button which can be worn as a necklace or wrist strap.

The 24/7 service is provided through the council’s Customer Contact Centre. Once alerted by an alarm, operators call the service user, summoning a doctor or relative if required and sending first-aid trained staff to the person’s home.

There are currently 1515 people who use the service. Robert Oxley who lives in Bow has been using the telecare service for the past two years.

Robert, 32, has myotonic dystrophy (an inherited disorder of the muscles and other body systems). He describes the telecare service as “giving his mum peace of mind” and allowing him to be independent.

He said: “The carer who looks after me is brilliant and having the telecare pendant means I can be on my own, safe in the knowledge if I need any help all I have to do is push the button.”

Mum Dorothy Oxley, 68, added: “It’s a fantastic service and even better as it is free.”

Since the service went free in October, last year, there has been a significant increase in the uptake of telecare alarms with 741 alarms installed.

Other items available include gas and flood detectors, pressure pads which monitor if someone gets out of bed and sends an alarm if they don’t return within a set time (in case they’ve fallen over on their way to the bathroom and alarms which vibrate under the pillow for those who can’t hear an audible alarm.

To find out more about telecare call 020 7364 4827. To apply for telecare call 020 7364 5005

Source: Tower Hamlets Council

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