News from Alertacall plus articles and insights on how to enhance outcomes for people with higher needs in the housing, health and social care sectors.
COVID-19: what alternatives exist to dispersed or wearable alarms that reduce the strain in demand for social service teams?
An innovative service which tracks the daily wellbeing and health of older people can alleviate the increasing demands being placed on existing services during the current crisis. As millions aged 70-plus face months at home in isolation due to the Coronavirus, the OKEachDay service, provided by Alertacall, offers a real alternative that will not only reduce the impact of social isolation, but also save lives.
The demand for wearable alarms, the number of staff who are needing to self isolate, and the difficulties of being able to safely implement the devices with new customers is placing a strain on many adult social care teams. Equipping staff to visit these vulnerable customers, and minimising the instances of needing to enter an ‘at risk’ person’s home, leads either to delays in implementation or increases the possibility of infection being passed on.
An alternative system could reduce or eliminate the need for in-home visits, verify wellbeing one or more times a day, and be set up in 2-3 days. The OKEachDay service, provided by Alertacall, is typically used by older people, or those with higher needs, to confirm their safety and wellbeing on a day to day basis. The OKEachDay system, combining clever technology and a specialist team, is available for less than £4/week.
How OKEachDay works?
The OKEachDay service requires customers to either press a button to signal their good health or they are called by a highly trained member of the OKEachDay team at an agreed time(s) each day. If they are uncontactable, then the matter is escalated and a nominated family member, friend, or in some cases the emergency services, is informed.
Customers can either use their own telephone or be supplied with a specially developed OKEachDay device.
Furthermore, there are very real fears of a spike in those feeling isolated and the associated effects of loneliness. This service gives individuals the opportunity to speak to someone on a daily basis and ensures many elderly and vulnerable people don’t go days, or even weeks, without their welfare being checked upon.
To find out more about how OKEachDay can help during the COVID-19 outbreak, contact Martin Cutbill, Director, on 0808 163 0093, or email contact@alertacall.com to answer any questions that you may have.
