What is Telecare?

Telecare is equipment for the home that promotes a person’s independence and safety and helps to give them a better quality of life by increasing their confidence. It can minimise the need for formal care and prolong the length of time a person can live independently in their own home. 

It can be installed on a short term basis e.g. to assist with early discharges from hospital, or on a long term basis to help people live at home for as long as possible.

What does it do?

Most pieces of Telecare equipment have a sensor that is remotely connected to the base unit and works by sending a radio wave signal. If a sensor detects a potential accident e.g. a fall, it alerts the community alarm provider (usually Careline) or carer.

Types of home equipment linked to a community alarm provider include:

  • bed sensor
  • fall detector
  • chair sensor
  • pressure mat sensor
  • epilepsy sensor
  • flood detector
  • smoke detector
  • ambient temperature sensor
  • property exit sensor
  • medication dispenser
  • voice activation unit

Types of home equipment that can link to a carer in the same property include:

  • bed sensor
  • fall detector
  • movement sensor
  • chair sensor
  • pressure mat sensor
  • door sensor
  • epilepsy sensor
  • voice activation to call button

Other types of Telecare include:

  • Myhomehelper – communication device
  • Memrabel reminder clock
  • Memo minder – message prompter
  • Monitoring systems (provided for a period of assessment)
  • Buddi GPS locator
  • GPS SOS button

Requesting an assessment

If you would like to arrange an assessment by the Telecare service, please contact the Telecare team between 8:45am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday on 01204 337815 or email telecare@bolton.gov.uk.