Physical disabilities and
sensory impairments
Connected Care Solutions
Key information for health, housing and social care
professionals and carers
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with, and less than half have some choice over where they live • 29,000 adults with a learning disability live with parents aged 70 or over, many of whom
are too old or frail to continue in their caring role
• Just 1 in 3 people with a learning disability take part in some form of education or training
• People with a learning disability are 58 times more likely to die aged under 50 than the
general population, and 4 times as likely to die of preventable causes
Introduction
Connected Care and Connected Health technology such as telecare and telehealth has a key
role to play in supporting people with physical disabilities and sensory impairments in a way
that promotes independence as well as contributing to safeguarding. Technology can make
a difference to people with all kinds of abilities. From managing risks such as fires or falling,
to aiding communication and helping to deliver greater privacy or dignity, technology can
enable people to have more control over the way they live their lives.
With public sector funding under increasing pressure, it is more important than ever that we
realise the potential of enabling technologies to make a significant and positive difference to
the lives of people with disabilities, and help our health, housing and social care systems to
support their needs effectively.
This guide outlines some of the ways technology can contribute to improving the everyday
lives of people with physical disabilities and sensory impairments as well as those who care
for them.
Almost 1 in 5 people in
the UK have a disability
10 million people
have some form of
hearing loss
Disabled people’s living costs
are 25% higher than those of
non-disabled people
Physical disabilities
and sensory
impairments
Only 17% of disabled people
were born with their
disabilities
1.87 million people have
sight loss that has a
significant impact on
their daily lives
Source: Disability in the United
Kingdom 2013 Facts and Figures,
Papworth Trust
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1/3
Disabled people make up
around one third of the NHS
users in Britain
What is Connected Care?
Tunstall offers a range of Connected Care and Connected Health solutions, which use
advanced technology underpinned by high quality, high touch services to provide enhanced
care for all kinds of people, including those with disabilities. Solutions are tailored to the
needs of the individual and their circumstances, and designed to evolve over time as the
user’s requirements change.
Telecare forms part of Tunstall’s Connected Care solutions, and is a system of devices which
supports people in their own home by helping to manage risk. Appropriate, unobtrusive
sensors are placed around the home, which if triggered send an alert via a Lifeline home unit
to a specialist monitoring centre, where trained operators can alert a carer, keyholder or the
emergency services as appropriate.
Telecare can also be used by carers in the home or in supported or residential care
environments, in which case alerts from sensors will be received on a pager. Telecare can
provide assistance to the person to help them to do things (e.g. allow access to their home or
be alerted to the phone ringing), and give them the means to easily ask for help by pressing a
button, which can be worn on the wrist or around the neck. Telecare can also alert others of
dangerous situations (e.g. if they were to have a fall or leave the gas on).
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Personal trigger
or telecare sensor
raises alert
5
Response from
carer, keyholder
or emergency
services
2
Alert raised via
the home unit
4
Operator or
carer decides
appropriate
course of action
3 Alert received at
monitoring centre
or on carer pager
Examples of technology in use and further details on the types of products developed by
Tunstall are detailed in the following pages of this brochure.
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Case Study
Telecare supporting independence
for a wheelchair user
The situation
James Porteous is in his late sixties, and contracted polio at the age of six. As a result,
his breathing was severely affected and he became paralysed. Although he made a slow
recovery, James has been a wheelchair user ever since. This limited mobility has not restricted
his achievements; James has had a long and successful career, and is very active in his
community, gaining an MBE for his charity work.
As James gets older he is finding that some of his symptoms are worsening, and he has some
pain and needs a respirator at night to help him with this breathing. His wife Gill has also
recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The solution
James and Gill have been using the Be Independent telecare and response service for several
years, with James wearing a personal pendant to enable him to call for assistance in an
emergency from anywhere in his home or garden. This has been a great reassurance to him,
and has also given peace of mind to Gill when she has left James alone in the house. As both
their needs are increasing over time, Gill now also wears a pendant, and Be Independent staff
continue to make regular calls to assess whether they can provide any other equipment or
services to help make life safer and easier for them.
The outcome
James says,
“
Telecare acts as a safety net for us. We live a very independent and fulfilling life, but at the
same time we are aware that one day there may be circumstances that mean we need
urgent help and the system gives us that back up. It also helps our daughters feel better
that we have easy, 24 hour access to help from people who know our situation. It’s really
a fantastic support for the whole family, and we would all be much more anxious and
stressed without it.
”
Read the full case study at uk.tunstall.com/beindependent
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Case Study
A new approach to supporting people with
complex needs using integrated technologies
The situation
There is an urgent and growing need across the UK for
cost effective accommodation and care for adults with
a variety of disabilities. How is technology helping to deliver a new model of care which is
more cost effective than traditional provision and ensures vulnerable adults are given the
same life choices as others?
The solution
Tunstall and ATEL offer a range of technology enabled care solutions for people with a range
of complex needs living in supported living environments. Moorgate Mill in Blackburn is a
development containing 20 apartments for people with complex needs including physical and
sensory, learning disabilities, and some with behaviour that challenges. This Inclusion Housing
run site was designed by HB Villages with the technology provided through a collaboration
with Tunstall and ATEL and care provided by Lifeways. ATEL and Tunstall have worked together
to provide a managed service for the provision of a communications platform, telecare,
environmental controls and access control at Moorgate Mill. Systems are provided according
to the needs of the individual following assessment, but include sensors to detect risks such as
falls, fires or floods and aids such as lighting and heating controls, automatic door openers and
blind/curtain openers.
The outcome
Moorgate Mill is an exciting mix of care, accommodation and technology designed to create
an environment that supports independence and is more cost effective than traditional
provision. Not only empowering, the financial benefits of the concept will, it is envisaged,
over time generate savings of around 20% on care and support costs.
Jayne’s story
Jayne is profoundly physically disabled, and has been dependent on others for her care all her
life. Moving to Moorgate Mill is the first time Jayne has been able to live in a flat on her own.
She has 24-hour background support, and uses a reassurance pendant that allows her to
speak directly to the office at the touch of a button whenever she needs assistance. Jayne can
now operate her own blinds, lights, television and keep in contact with her family and friends
via Skype, all at the touch of a handset or with a pillow control. Jayne also has a wet room
with a Clos-o-Mat toilet, giving her more privacy and dignity with personal care. For the first
time Jayne has a sense of control and independence.
Read the full case study at uk.tunstall.com/moorgatemill
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Case Study
Telecare providing reassurance
and supporting independence
The situation
Wendy is a 53 year-old social worker for Hull City Council who lives in Hull with her partner,
Pete. Wendy has muscular dystrophy, a genetic muscle-wasting condition that over time
leads to an increasing level of physical disability. Wendy uses a wheelchair and is supported
by carers for day to-day living. Wendy also has a Canine Partners assistance dog called
Connor, a Labrador retriever cross. Connor helps Wendy with such tasks as putting washing
in/out of the washing machine, pressing buttons and opening doors. A former lecturer at the
University of Lincolnshire, Wendy works for Hull City Council with adults who need support
to live their life, as well as looking after her grandson every Thursday.
The solution
Determined not to allow her condition to compromise her independence and safety at home,
Wendy started using the Hull City Council Telecare Service in 2009. Wendy’s telecare includes:
• A MyAmie personal trigger that Wendy can press at any time if she needs to summon help
from anywhere in her home or garden
• Smoke detectors to raise an alert at Kingston Care monitoring centre in the event of a fire
• A Lifeline home unit, which can receive alerts from Wendy’s MyAmie and smoke detector
sensors linked to the monitoring centre, so that an alarm can be raised 24-hours a day
The outcome
For Wendy, telecare reduces the risks of independent living and gives her peace of mind. For
example, on one occasion, Wendy became separated from her house keys and ended up
being locked in her home, unable to get to the phone. Having trained Connor the dog to push
the alert on her telecare unit, Wendy told Connor to press the button. Connor pressed the
button and staff at the monitoring centre called a locksmith.
Wendy says,
“
Telecare gives me some ‘me time’, because I don’t always want somebody to be supporting
me in my own home, but it’s nice to have the reassurance that I can get help if I need it.
”
Read the full case study at uk.tunstall.com/hullwendy
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Case Study
Telecare in extra care
The situation
Broadacres Housing Association provides a comprehensive range of services to over 5,300
homes in North Yorkshire, supporting various client groups. Upon commissioning its
Rivendale Extra Care facility, Broadacres worked in partnership with North Yorkshire County
Council, Hambleton District Council, the Homes and Communities Association and Tunstall
to ensure the scheme provided attractive and accessible accommodation which allows
people to live independently with the appropriate level of care available when they need it.
The solution
Rivendale in Northallerton has 51 apartments and a range of facilities, including 24 hour
onsite care staff. Tunstall’s Communicall system was incorporated into the build specification
for Rivendale in order to provide staff with a reliable means of communicating with each
other and with residents, as well as offering a future-proofed platform for telecare. Each
apartment has a door entry and intercom system, enabling residents to contact staff and
control access to their homes. All residents have personal triggers to enable them to request
assistance at any time, and a range of telecare sensors are available to support residents
according to their individual needs, including smoke detectors, flood detectors, fall detectors
and door sensors.
The outcome
Judith Beardsmore, Scheme Coordinator - Extra Care said,
“
Without Communicall the responsibility on staff would be much greater and we would
need to provide larger packages of care. This way, we can monitor for risks and emergencies
24/7, enabling the residents to be more independent and freeing up staff time. It also
provides us with a form of lone worker monitoring for our staff. This is quite a big building
and the Communicall system means we can easily check on the wellbeing of staff, no
matter where they are.
”
Anthony is 27 and is a wheelchair user with some physical disabilities. He moved to Rivendale
18 months ago from his parents’ home, seeking more independence. He uses a personal
trigger and his apartment is equipped with pullcords, a flood detector and an epilepsy sensor.
Anthony says,
“
I really enjoy having my own home and
having more control. Having the back-up
from telecare has taken away my
nervousness of being on my own. I get on
really well with everyone here and having
the epilepsy sensor means I can go to bed
at night and not be disturbed by people
checking on me.
”
Read the full case study at uk.tunstall.com/broadacres
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Case Study
Telecare supporting visual impairment
The situation
Mr and Mrs Jones are both severely visually impaired. Mr Jones is often away with work and
Mrs Jones also has asthma. Close friends experienced a burglary involving men claiming
to be from the police. As this couldn’t be visually confirmed, Mrs Jones was fearful of any
doorstep caller she didn’t know.
The solution
Mr and Mrs Jones contacted their crime prevention officer who recommended the Lifeline
unit with intruder functionality and PIRs. Mr and Mrs Jones each had a MyAmie pendant,
enabling them to contact the monitoring centre from anywhere in their home, 24 hours a
day, who can then send appropriate help.
A bogus caller button was also fitted close to the front door. Mrs Jones can press the button
if worried about a visitor to the house, and the monitoring centre can listen in to the
conversation and talk directly to the visitor if needed. The involvement of the monitoring
centre is often enough to deter bogus callers and all voices are recorded and can be used for
evidence if required.
The outcome
The system has given Mr and Mrs Jones a great sense of reassurance, knowing help is at hand
should they ever be unsure of visitors to their home.
Mrs Jones said,
“
I didn’t want to take any risks. I wanted to be
sure that the same frightening burglary wouldn’t
happen to us. So now I feel so secure and safe.
I can easily feel the buttons and I know which
one activates the alarm. I feel so confident and
peaceful at night. I often have no idea who is at
the front door so the voice contact with the
monitoring centre is ideal.
”
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Solutions - Safety
Lifeline Vi and MyAmie
CareAssist
The Lifeline Vi home unit receives alerts from telecare
sensors placed around the home and automatically
raises an alarm with a carer or monitoring centre. The
MyAmie pendant can be worn on the wrist or around
the neck and allows the user to call for help simply by
pressing the red button.
CareAssist is an extremely easy to use, portable device
that provides onsite carers with a means to receive
instant alerts from a range of telecare sensors. This
means that carers can be quickly made aware of any
incidents allowing them to respond, but removes the
need for them to continually observe the person they
care for.
iVi intelligent pendant
Property exit sensor
The iVi intelligent pendant is a small, lightweight
device which allows the wearer to press a help
button to generate an alarm call, and will also
automatically generate a call for assistance if it
detects a fall.*
This sensor specifically monitors for people
leaving a property at unusual times of day and
night. It can also detect if a main exit door has
been left open and can be linked to external
lighting to provide added protection.
Bogus caller/panic button
Bed shaker
Fitted near the door, the discreet bogus caller
button can be used to call for assistance at a 24
hour monitoring centre if a stranger requests
entry into the home. Operators can advise the
user, and all calls are recorded and can provide
evidence admissible in court.
The bed shaker generates powerful vibrations to
wake the sleeping user. Placed under the pillow
and linked to a carer pager it can alert the user to
events such as a smoke alarm or bed occupancy
sensor being triggered.
*Due to the wide variety and type of falls some falls may not be detected. In the event of a fall the service user should always be advised to
try and press the help button on the iVi.
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Smoke detector
Natural gas detector/shut off valve
Tunstall smoke detectors provide increased
reassurance by raising an alarm call at the
monitoring centre while also activating a local
audible alarm, if they detect smoke.
The natural gas detector provides an early
warning of dangerous levels of gas.
Enuresis sensor
Placed between the mattress and sheet, this
sensor provides immediate warning on detection
of moisture, allowing effective action to be
taken. The sensor eliminates the need for carers
to make physical checks during the night,
promoting dignity and independence.
Bed occupancy sensor
This specially designed pressure pad fits under the
mattress and provides an early warning by alerting
that the user has left their bed and not returned
within a pre-set time period. The sensor can also
be programmed to switch on lights, helping people
find their way to and from bed easily.
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When combined with the shut off valve, this
solution automatically cuts off the gas supply to
an appliance when a leak is detected.
Epilepsy sensors
Epilepsy sensors are used to monitor people
with epilepsy while they sleep. Patented sensor
technology detects a person’s movement in bed
and is able to differentiate normal movements
from epileptic seizures.
DDA flashing beacon
The DDA flashing beacon links to a carer pager
and flashes to indicate when different types of
alarms have been activated.
Solutions - Health
mymedic and myclinic
Telehealth systems (mymedic for single users and
myclinic for multiple users, e.g. in residential homes)
which enable vital signs and symptoms to be
monitored. Readings outside of parameters set
for the patient will raise an alert with a clinician,
enabling early intervention. Can be particularly
helpful for people with disabilities who may not be
able to communicate their symptoms.
Solutions Activity monitoring
Canary
Canary is a discreet, easy to install system which
discreetly monitors activities of daily living using
sensors to monitor movement and temperature. The
system can detect, for example, whether someone
is in or out of bed at their usual time and kitchen
useage. Unusual events raise an immediate alert
via text or email, and patterns of behaviour can be
viewed using an online portal.
Medication dispenser
Automatically provides access to medication
over a 28 day period, providing audio and visual
alerts to the user and/or their carer each time
medication should be taken, and raising an alert
if the user fails to access their medicines.
Solutions Mobile alarm
CareClip
The CareClip is a wearable, mobile device ensuring
the user can easily access help when away from
home. Features such as location monitoring, fall
detection, boundary alerts and two-way speech
ensure formal or informal carers can respond quickly.
Location information is updated every three minutes
and a true global roaming SIM is included, ensuring
accuracy and reliability.
Solutions - Environmental Controls
Tunstall systems can also be configured to operate with a range of third party devices, such as sensors
to control curtains, heating, lighting and windows, access control, aids to support bathing and toileting,
cognition and communication aids, medical and therapeutic products and audio visual aids.
Photos in this document have been posed by models in some cases and names may have been changed to protect individuals’ privacy.
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About Tunstall
Tunstall Healthcare Group offers a range of Connected Care and Connected Health
solutions across each of its main regions - UK, Nordics, Southern Europe, Central Europe,
North America and Asia-Pacific. Through the use of smart technology underpinned by
high quality, high touch services we support older people and those with long term
needs to live as independently, securely, healthily and happily as they are able. As the
market leading provider of technology-enabled care, we have been working with health,
housing and social care partners for nearly 60 years. By effectively supporting health,
independence and wellbeing, our Connected Care and Connected Health solutions
improve outcomes and deliver efficiencies when compared to traditional models of
hospital or residence-based care.
Tunstall Healthcare (UK) Ltd
Whitley Lodge
Whitley Bridge
Yorkshire
DN14 0HR
t. 01977 661234
e. ENQUIRIES@TUNSTALL.COM
w. UK.TUNSTALL.COM
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@TUNSTALLHEALTH