Assistive Technology
Newsletter
April 2014
Welcome
This is the fourteenth newsletter which provides updates on developments of the City
Wide Care Alarms (CWCA) service and additional Telecare and Assistive Technology
support in Sheffield.
In This Issue
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Price changes
Combatting Nuisance Calls
Reminder Services
Wrist Worn Fall Detector Withdrawn
Referrals Reminder
Just Checking Update
Non-spill drinks cover
Price Changes
Following on from the information in the last newsletter, it has now been agreed that the
price increase for 2014/15 for the general service, will be limited to 2.5%, or from £4.81
to £4.93 (+VAT) per week for most general service users.
This should match the increase in pensions.
Prices for the additional sensors will change more radically and are listed below. This is
because there hasn’t been a price increase since they were first introduced around
2008.
Since this time we have been monitoring the cost of servicing this additional equipment
and the new prices will hopefully more accurately reflect the actual cost of delivery.
The new prices should come into effect on the 1st July. (Until then current prices will
continue to apply.)
It is planned to include the new price list in a revised brochure to be produced around
the same time.
Equipment
Minuet watch
Bed sensor
Charge
2014 2015
£0.70
£1.30
Bed sensor with lamp activation
Chair Occupancy Sensor
Carbon Monoxide detector
Fall detector
Flood Detector
Natural Gas Detector
Property Exit Sensor
Smoke detector
Temperature Extremes sensor
Medication Dispenser
2nd Medication Dispenser at same
property
Medication Dispenser Tipper unit
Epilepsy Sensor
Safe Sockets
Heat detector
Carer Assist
Pager package
Flashing beacon
Flashing beacon and vibrating pillow pad
Reminder messaging service
Bogus caller/panic button
Voice activated alarm (additional cost)
£1.65
£1.20
£0.75
£1.20
£0.65
£1.55
£1.40
£0.55
£0.60
£1.10
£0.60
£0.30
£1.60
£0.15
£0.65
£1.00
£1.40
£0.95
£1.00
£0.90
£0.55
£1.50
All prices are per week and + VAT
Combatting Nuisance Calls
Most of us probably receive nuisance calls, even if we are registered with the Telephone
Preference Service.
Research carried out by Trading Standards with Angus Council, however, has found that
for older, vulnerable adults the problem can be even worse, with almost 40% of all calls
received being nuisance calls.
Vulnerable adults may be; confused by these calls, taken advantage of by unscrupulous
sales people, they may decide to not answer the phone increasing their isolation, or it
could increase the risk of trips and falls as they dash to answer the phone before the
caller rings off.
However there are nuisance call blocking systems available which may be able to help
with this situation.
The latest systems are called Third Generation call blocking systems.
The Third Generations systems use a ‘trusted caller list’ i.e. those numbers the person
wants to receive calls from and intercepts any calls from any ‘untrusted numbers’. A
message can be played to these callers helping to filter out the unwanted ones. Any
unwanted calls that get through can be added to a banned list at the touch of a button.
Installation is usually easy for a straight forward telephone set up, (plugging the unit
between your phone and the telephone socket). Although it’s worthwhile reading some
reviews as to some of the potential installation and/or operational issues that some
people have faced.
There are at least two companies offering equipment that provides call blocking, with a
number of different models available.
Further information can be obtained via the internet by putting ‘third generation call
blocking’ into a search engine and following the links.
Reminder Services
There are a number of reminder services available to people, which aim to increase
independence and check wellbeing. Most of these are automated services which play
messages at pre-determined times.
Messages could be reminders to take medication, attend lunch clubs, or to lock the
door last thing at night.
Some of the reminder services are listed below, although others may be available.
CWCA Reminders
The Lifeline unit provided for the CWCA service can also be programmed to play
messages to the customer, which can be recorded by family members.
Messages can be linked to some of the automated alarms, for example, a door exit
sensor could activate a message not to go out, as soon as the door was opened
between say 10.00pm and 8.00am.
Other messages can be programmed into the Lifeline unit to act as reminders.
There is a limit of six messages in total and a ten second time limit for each message.
There is flexibility in terms of when the message can be played, for example they can
be set to play daily, weekly, monthly, just on week days, at weekends etc.
Messages can be set to simply play the message, or to raise an alarm at the
Monitoring Centre if the message is not acknowledged by pressing the cancel button
on the unit. In this case an appropriate CWCA response would be provided.
However, customers will need to think carefully about whether they want raise an alert
if the message is not acknowledged, as in some cases, if family and friends are not
available and CWCA staff cannot gain access themselves, it could result in the
Emergency Services being called to break into the property.
There is an additional charge of 50p per week for this service, (though this will rise to
90p in July). This will include one free revision or amendment visit per year after it has
been set up.
Another local service, run by South Yorkshire Housing Association is called Reassure
and Remind.
For £2.99 a week a person can receive up to four pre-recorded automated phone calls
per day to either a mobile or home telephone. These can be recorded in any language
by family members, carers or by SYHA.
The service is flexible allowing for different calls to be made on different days at
different times if needed.
Should a person not answer the phone or acknowledge the call by pressing a button,
the system will re-try within half an hour, if still no response an alert can be sent to up
to four contacts, by text, automated phone call or e-mail.
More information is available from Jo Burt at SYHA, Tel: 0114 290 0250 or e-mail
reassureandremind@syha.co.uk
Home Calls
This is a national telephone based contact service.
In this case, however, contact is made by a person ringing to check if the customer is
safe and well and that there are no problems, issues or concerns within the home. If
there are any issues an alert goes out to family, neighbours, doctors or emergency
services as required
The call is made at an agreed time each day that the service has been paid for and
usually lasts for around 3 minutes. Often the same person will make the call allowing a
relationship to be built up with the client. Reminders can also be incorporated into the
call.
If the call is not answered the service rings back an hour later, if there is still no answer
after 3 calls (i.e. 2 hours) an alert is sent to a previously nominated individual.
There are 3 levels of service, gold, silver and bronze. Prices start at less than £1 per
day.
Further information is available via the Help Yourself database:
http://www.sheffieldhelpyourself.org.uk/full_search_new.asp?group=25463&searchna
me=home
Reassure24
This is another national service which is based in Cardiff but covers the country.
A person can receive up to six pre-recorded automated phone calls per day at times
determined by you. Dr Hilary Jones has recorded a general reassurance message
which people can use. Any other type of message can either be recorded by family
members, carers etc and have their voice played back, or you can type in a message,
in which case a more mechanised voice would be used for the message.
Prices start at £1.00 per week for 1 call a day to a landline or mobile phone, or £2 per
week for 2 -6 calls per day.
Should a person not answer the phone or acknowledge the call by pressing a button,
the system will re-try within half an hour, if there is still no response, or if they request
assistance, an alert can be sent to up to six contacts, by telephone, text or e-mail.
More information is available from their website:
http://www.reassure24.co.uk/index.htm or by phone on: 0800 180 8545
Wrist Worn Fall Detector Withdrawn
Due to problems with the supplier, we have had to withdraw the wrist worn fall detector
for the time being.
We are still supplying either the belt or neck worn fall detector and hope to be able to
offer an alternative wrist worn model in future.
Referrals Reminder
City Wide Care Alarms continue to receive referrals for people who are not ready to have
the service installed.
The most common examples are where a potential customer is being discharged from
hospital or other care. In some cases referrals sit on our system for six months before
the person is actually discharged.
During this period a lot of staff time is wasted chasing up the referral to keep checking
whether the customer is ready for the install yet.
We are aware that there may be some situations out of everyone’s control that delays a
discharge, but in general could we please ask people to send in a referral when they
have a discharge date, or if there is some problem with the discharge, make it clear on
the form that we will be contacted at a later date when they are ready for discharge.
In future, referrals will be kept open for a maximum of six weeks. After this period they
will be closed and the referrer notified that a new referral will be needed.
An install will only be booked once we know the customer will be at home so that we can
explain how the system works and ensure they understand this.
CWCA are currently installing within two working days of receiving a referral.
Thank you
Just Checking Update
The Council owned Just Checking kits are suspended at this time.
Sally Morris-Shaw is, however, planning to get two kits reinstated. One for Access
Prevention and Reablement function and one for Case Management / Review and
Reassessment.
Further information is available from Sally. Her contact details are:
Sally Morris-Shaw
Senior Practitioner
Community Access and Reablement Service (CARS)
1st Floor , Howden house,
Union Street.
Sheffield
S1 2SH.
Tel: (0114) 293 0031
There is an additional Just Checking system which is managed by Chris Ludford. This is
generally used by the Dementia Rapid Response and Home Treatment Team, however
it may occasionally be available to other health professionals with Sheffield Health and
Social Care Trust.
For more information contact:
Chris Ludford RMN
Deputy Team Manager
Dementia Rapid Response and Home Treatment Team
The Longley Centre
Norwood Grange Drive
Sheffield
S5 7JT
Tel: (0114) 226 2548
Non-spill drinks cover
Safe sip™ is a small silicone drinks cover. It can stretch over almost any type of glass or
cup to prevent spills.
Insert a drinking straw and a simple glass or mug can be used to replace non-spill
toddler cups, helping to maintain the dignity of someone who generally has to use other
non-spill solutions, e.g. people lying down.
It is made from food grade silicone and is lightweight, compact, simple to use, portable
and reusable.
For more information the web address is www.safesip.co.uk
Any Comments/Questions/Suggestions?
For more information, to suggest a subject for a future article or to submit a case study
for future newsletters contact Mark Johnson via email on
Mark.johnson3@sheffield.gov.uk.