Families across Merseyside who are affected by hearing loss or impairment are benefiting from life-saving telecare solutions that enhance fire safety in the household and promote independent living.
The most positive outcome from the provision of the service is that no one using it has been injured in a fire in their home, highlighting how telecare can provide enhanced safety for people with hearing impairments.
The partnership between Tunstall, Sefton Borough Council and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service helps to support vulnerable people of all ages, providing telecare solutions that enable them to live a safer and more independent life. Delivered by Sefton Careline, the service handles over 5,000 telecare connections in the area.
Nine-year-old Andrew and his family are currently using the telecare package and have since reported positive results. Andrew, who lives with his mum, dad and 10-month old sister, is hard of hearing and prior to the deployment his mother worried that in the event of a fire, Andrew would not be able to hear the smoke alarm.
Andrew's mum was provided with Tunstall's Hearing Impairment Kit, which includes Tunstall's Lifeline Connect+ home unit with personal trigger, along with a range of telecare sensors such as smoke detectors, pager alert and a pillow alert pad, which vibrates to alert the user that the smoke detector has raised an alarm.
With its enhanced functionality, the unit can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each user and integrates with a range of sensors.
Andrew's mother said: "I sleep much better now, knowing that if we were to have a fire and were unable to get to Andrew's room to alert him, the vibrating alert pad under his pillow would wake him, quite possibly saving his life. It is reassuring to know that Sefton Careline is on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to any alerts raised by the sensors."
Alex McGowan, Sefton Careline Team Manager said: "It is what we're here for, to provide peace of mind to people and empower them to live their lives. It's great that the technology is advancing all the time and we're able to help people in more creative ways. We're getting positive feedback from all the clients using the service, including our younger clients."
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service delivers Home Fire Safety Checks to all homes in the county, with a dedicated Deaf Advocate Team in place to undertake Fire Safety Checks for residents with hearing difficulties. This enables them to communicate in their preferred language, including British Sign Language (BSL), sign supported English or Deafblind Manual.
The Deaf Advocate Team works closely with other local agencies such as Sefton Borough Council's designated Sensory Impairment Team and the Deaf Centre, to ensure people are safe in their homes. As part of this, the Deaf Advocate Team refers suitable residents onto Sefton Careline if they feel they would benefit from a telecare package, particularly if they have poor mobility or other health issues.
Mark Purdy, District Manager at Sefton County Fire Service said: "This service is a great example of how partnerships bring greater rewards to service users and their families. Because of the collaborative approach of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Careline and social care team, we are able to offer tailored support to the people that need it most. This partnership has proven invaluable for the Fire and Rescue Service, filtering all non emergency calls and preventing unnecessary emergency responses that can be handled by the Careline operatives."
Sefton Careline currently has a community care budget of £74,000 per year which helps to support 300 people with sensory impairments using telecare, provided on assessed need rather than means tested or age related.
The service is available to council and non-council tenants, owner-occupiers and private tenants from anywhere in the country, with a range of devices now available to support independent living. Residents have reported feeling more reassured that help is available 24 hours a day, allowing them to sleep more soundly whilst living a more independent life.
Related news articles:
- Tunstall's Profile
About Tunstall
Tunstall Healthcare Group is the market leading provider of telehealthcare solutions, with over 2.5 million users globally. Tunstall's solutions support older people and those with long-term needs, to live independently, by effectively managing their health and well-being. Tunstall provides technology, expertise and advice to millions of people enabling them to lead independent more fulfilling lives.