Type=image;ImageID=10987;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Councillor Samuels with a mobile responder;TitleClass=strong;
The City of Wolverhampton Council's Telecare service supports people to live independently in their own homes by giving them a range of assistive technology, from emergency alarms and fall detectors to smoke and flood sensors and automated pill dispensers.
The council aims to give 3,000 additional customers the chance to use Telecare over the next 3 years and has launched 4 new packages suitable for a range of budgets and requirements, priced from £3 to £9 per week or free for people in receipt of certain benefits.
Should a Telecare alarm be activated, a message is sent to the council's 24 hour control centre, where trained operators talk to the individual to establish the most appropriate response, be it contacting a family member, carer or doctor, the new mobile responder service provided by West Midlands Fire Service or the emergency services.
Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adults, said: "Telecare is playing a vital role in helping people living more independently for longer and in providing peace of mind and reassurance to Telecare customers, their carers and of course family members, some of whom may live many miles away.
"Telecare can also support people in the reablement process, helping ensure a timely discharge from hospital and help prevent the need for more intensive support and even residential care further down the line.
"We want to substantially increase the number of people using Telecare in Wolverhampton over the next few years, and so have introduced a range of new packages which will meet a range of requirements and budgets."
The Telecare packages are as follows:
- Level 1 (£3 per week): The standard Telecare service comprising of an alarm unit, pendant, keysafe and smoke detector. This universal service is available to people who have two responders who hold a key to their property and agree to respond to an emergency at any time. They could be a family member, neighbour or friend
- Level 2 (£5 per week): As Level 1, but including access to the mobile responder service provided by West Midlands Fire Service which will visit the Telecare customer's property as required
- Level 3 (£7 per week): As Level 1, but with a range of additional Telecare detectors and sensors appropriate to the customer's needs. Like Level 1, this service is available to people who have 2 responders - either a family member, neighbour, carer or friend - who agree to respond to an emergency call as required
- Level 4 (£9 per week): As level 3, but with access to the mobile responder service provided by West Midlands Fire Service
Telecare is provided free of charge to people in receipt of certain benefits and free during a period of reablement support or to prevent a hospital admission.
To find out more about Telecare, please visit Type=links;Linkid=7686;Title=Wolverhampton Telecare Service;Target=_blank;, call 01902 553585 or email telecare@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
- released: Thursday 20 October, 2016