Video Transcript

Background

Grace lives on her own in her detached property.

She enjoys gardening and likes to sit in the garden on her bench whenever she can to view her work.

One day whilst getting up from her seat, she fell over and couldn’t get up.

Although she carries a mobile phone with her it slipped out of her pocket when she fell and she was unable to reach for it.

Her neighbours couldn’t hear her cry for help so she had to wait until a passer-by heard her and raised the alarm.

Grace was taken to hospital where she was treated for a sprained ankle and bruising and medical staff suggested she apply for a community alarm.

Solution and Outcome

One of our TEC officers visited her and installed a community alarm with a pendant which she chose to wear around her neck.

The radio device within the pendant means that if Grace should fall in her garden again, or within her home, all she needs to do is press the pendant and her call will be answered by one of our operators who will summon help straight away.

If she is unable to communicate with the operators then they will escalate the call and get in touch with one of her contacts and ask them to check on her wellbeing.

Grace is very happy in the knowledge that help is at hand should she need it and how it allows her to keep her independence and give peace of mind to her family.

Video Transcript

Background

Mrs Smith is in her 90’s and lives alone. She has very little sensation in her feet and falls frequently. She doesn’t always put lights on at night when up to the toilet.

She also has dementia. Her very supportive family live 25 miles away.

Family often finds her with bruises and Mrs Smith admits that she thinks she is falling but is unsure how often and that she forgets to press her pendant to summon help.

Mrs Smith's family are anxious when they are unable to reach her on the phone especially when they cannot speak with her on their usual evening call time.

Often Mrs Smith''s daughter will drive a 50-mile round trip to check she is ok which can be a surprise to Mrs Smith who just didn’t realise the time nor did she hear the phone.

Mrs Smith is not overly concerned and feel that family are fussing!

Solution

The TEC officer replaced her pendant with falls detector.

Bed sensor installed to decrease night time falls.

Smoke and heat sensors package installed linking to community alarm as Mrs Smith unlikely to be able to self-evacuate in event of a fire due to her medical conditions.

Family set up and are successfully using Amazon Alexa drop in feature (Mrs Smith consented).

Benefits of the "drop in" feature would allow family to "listen in" on Mrs Smith to hear if she is ok/ safe and they can also have a conversation.

Smart lighting – routines set to ensure lights come on when dark throughout property to reduce falls risk and turn off at bed time.

Battery operated motion sensor night light for use in bedroom and in hall at night to improve lighting to reduce falls risk.

Outcome

Improved relationships as family no longer appear at Mrs Smith’s house at random times when Mrs Smith has not heard her phone ringing.

Improved safety and home, less unnecessary family visits and decreased family stress.

Video Transcript

Background

Martha lives on her own in her detached property. She has a community alarm with a pendant that she wears on her wrist.

Recently family have reported that she has had a few falls at home and forgotten that she had her pendant on.

One day Martha fell and didn’t press her pendant so she lay on the floor unable to move.

Her next-door neighbour heard Martha shouting for help and went to assist. Her neighbour pressed the button on the alarm and asked for assistance.

The Emergency Care Team were sent to help Martha however, they suspected Martha had hurt herself and called for an ambulance.

Martha was admitted to hospital where she was treated for a suspected hip fracture and stayed there for a few weeks.

Solution and Outcome

On discharge one of our TEC officers visited Martha and issued a Fall Detector. This means that if she has an impact fall, the sensor will pick up on this and send an automatic call to the Alarm Receiving Centre.

As Martha gets up to visit the bathroom at night, it was decided that a Bed Sensor be installed which means if she does fall during the night and doesn’t return to bed within a pre-determined time an automatic call is raised to the Alarm Receiving Centre who will organise help to attend as soon as possible.

Martha’s family are now much more relaxed in the knowledge that help is at hand should she need it.

Video Transcript

Background

Frank and Mary are married and live in their own home. Mary still works fulltime but Frank has MS and uses an electric wheelchair to get around the home.

He has a care package in place, 4 visits daily who assist him with personal care and meals etc.

Frank has a community alarm which he has had for some time and the pendant he wears around his neck has an easy press adaptor on it to help him call for assistance if needed.

Mary would call Frank every day to find out how he was and Frank would answer the call using his pendant which allowed the call to be presented through the loudspeaker on his alarm unit.

However, due to a deterioration in Frank’s health he was finding it more and more difficult to reach for the pendant and press it.

Mary, understandably, feels more stressed about Frank and about leaving him each day.

Solution and Outcome

The TEC team received a request asking for solutions for Frank and Mary and after visiting them, it was decided that the best solution would be for environmental control sensors to be installed which would allow Frank more independence around the home.

After a joint visit with TEC team and a member from NHS Lothian Environmental Control Service, a system was installed for Frank which allowed him to operate a head pad to control features such as making and receiving telephone calls from the Landline or his mobile phone; switching the TV on or off and changing channels etc.

It also allowed him to call for assistance on his community alarm if he needed to.

There was also an opportunity for Frank and Mary to keep in contact with each other using Alexa. Mary can use the ‘drop in’ facility on the Alexa App and talk to Frank through the Alexa speaker.

Both Frank and Mary are now much happier and Mary feels less stressed about leaving Frank alone. Frank now feels more independent and in control.

Video Transcript

Lucy: It’s taken practise to get used to everything, but nothing scares you. Nothing is too much.

Greta: No, no.

Lucy: You’re very determined [laughs].

Greta: Very.

Lucy: She’ll get there in the end.

[typing sound]

Greta: My name is Greta. I am 75 years old and I was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in March 2019. I was born in Pencaitland and I have lived here all of my life. I have two children, George and Lynda, both of whom I am very proud of. They are both of great support to me. I have five grandchildren, they all care for me in many different ways and I am very proud of them all.

Greta: I was allocated my very own special Occupational Therapist who is so caring and efficient. She organised my beautiful wet room to be installed. I also had a special door opener attached to my back door so that I can open this door remotely, allowing me to get out to my garden easily. Eventually I was helped to install a fantastic platform lift so that I can drive straight on and off to the lower pavement level.

Greta: I was then given a Neater Eater, which is a robot that feeds me. This is wonderful for me, as I can be very independent. All this has only been made possible by funding from East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership & NHS Lothian. They also provided me with an Environmental Telephone pad which also enables me to switch on and control the television, helps me adjust my recliner chair and many more things as my hands and arms weaken.

Lucy: Granny has emergency buzzers all over the house. There’s one on her wheelchair, one on her armchair and one on her bed. If she ever needs urgent help, she can switch the buzzer and they’ll help her. 24/7, she can get through to a call centre.

[Community Alarm System auto dialling]

Operator: Oh, hi there. That was the alarm that’s came back through. I’m just checking in to make sure everything is still OK?

Greta: I was unable to keep in touch with my many friends on social media but I am now training on a new system called EyeGaze which means I can control all my technology through my eyes. This means that I can again use emails, Zoom, WhatsApp and many more. My constant companion is Maisie, my wee westie. She knows my every need and is at my side all the time.

Greta: Keep being positive. All the time. And, I make sure I’m in control. All the time.

[End of video transcript]