'Smart House' uses new technology to promote independent living » Housing » 24dash.com

A new technology-based service that will help disabled and older people to live at home more safely is being showcased in a special 'Smart House' on a Birkenhead housing estate.

The 'Smart House' on the Woodchurch Estate, set up by Wirral Council's Department of Social Services in conjunction with Wirral Partnership Homes, will be used to demonstrate equipment designed to support people in carrying out every day tasks.

Nationally, the benefits of assistive technology have been well researched. They include enabling people to live more safely at home, assisting with hospital discharges, supporting falls or accident prevention and reassurance for carers.

Wirral has concentrated on two areas of assistive technology: Telecare and Telemedicine.

Telecare means supporting and reassuring service-users from a distance with the help of technology. A range of smart sensors and detectors designed to improve safety in the home connect users by telephone to a monitoring centre via a Lifeline base unit, which is provided by Wirral Partnership Homes.

In the case of an incident or a request for help, the sensors will activate and alert the monitoring centre within seconds. Trained operators will promptly respond to the call.

In many cases, operators will contact a key-holder nominated by the client, for example a relative or neighbour.  In other cases this will be a back-up response service.

Wirral's Director of Adult Social Services, Kevin Miller, said: "This is a genuinely exciting project that will enable vulnerable people to live safely and independently in their own homes.

"The extent to which this project can make a difference to the lives of older people and their carers  is staggering; The range of sensors that Wirral will be providing in the initial phase of the project include fall, flood and gas detectors, emergency pull-cord, movement and wandering detectors, bed occupancy sensors and a medication reminder."

The equipment can be commissioned by occupational therapists and social workers working in hospitals, community teams and Adult Social Services.

In the longer term, the Assistive Technology Team will be exploring the role of Registered Social Landlords an other service-providers in the provision of assistive technology.

Telemedicine will come on stream in the coming months. It is designed to compliment traditional health care and will not replace face-to-face contact with older and disabled people.

Telemedicine works by monitoring vital signs such as blood pressure, blood sugars, pulse etc.  The data is then transmitted to the clinician's computer where it is closely monitored ensuring a constant picture of a person's health and well being and alerting clinicians to problems.

The Assistive Technology Project will be launched officially by Wirral's Mayor, Councillor Peter Johnson, at the 'Smart House' on the Woodchurch Estate in Birkenhead on Monday, April 30.

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