Telecare

TEC Telecare works in partnership with the Local Government Digital Office and TEC in Housing, and engages with telecare service providers, citizens and other key stakeholders to provide leadership and support to drive continuous improvement, transformation and innovation in telecare deployment and service delivery.

What is telecare?

Telecare is a term which refers to:

…the provision of care services at a distance using a range of analogue, digital and mobile technologies. These range from simple personal alarms, devices and sensors in the home, through to more complex technologies such as those which monitor daily activity patterns, home care activity, enable ‘safer walking’ in the community for people with cognitive impairments/physical frailties, detect falls and epilepsy seizures, facilitate medication prompting, and provide enhanced environmental safety.

(Source: Scottish Government: A National Telehealth and Telecare Delivery Plan for Scotland to 2015)

Telecare consists of equipment and services which can support people at home or in a community setting, including a care home or supported accommodation to get help or assistance. Telecare can include a call button which can be pressed. It can also include other types of equipment which provides early detection of risks like smoke, gas or temperature extremes.

Devices transfer an alert, alarm or data to call handlers in a 24/7 monitoring centre, or an individual responder, such as a carer or family member, so the right help can be provided.

In Scotland, around 20% of people aged over 75 are in receipt of a community alarm/telecare service. Services can be provided by HSCPs, housing providers or independent providers. Almost all HSCPs charge for the service.

A telecare self-check online tool is available on NHS inform, which enables people to find information on telecare services in their area.