Up to 75,000 elderly and vulnerable people will be able to stay in their own homes rather than go into care thanks to an £8m project announced yesterday.
Charities welcomed the move by the Scottish Executive to make the cash available to local authorities to invest in telecare technology.

The scheme, pioneered in West Lothian, involves a range of monitors fitted in homes which can detect smoke, extreme heat, flooding or a person falling, and is connected to a 24-hour emergency response centre.

All 32 Scottish councils will benefit from the funding, announced by Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm when he visited Colinshiel Court, Armadale, West Lothian, one of the places the technology was piloted. Around 2300 people in the area have had the sensors installed and West Lothian Council plans to increase that to more than 3000 this year.

Mr Chisholm said his aim was for around 75,000 people, including 9000 dementia sufferers, to benefit. He said: "Telecare can help Scotland's increasing number of older people to lead fuller and more independent lives.

He pointed out that the number of older people was predicted to rise significantly over the coming decades, and added: "Telecare is an excellent example of how services can be redesigned in more integrated and imaginative ways, by using the latest technology to complement traditional, one-to-one care from trained, professional staff.

"Older people who may otherwise have gone into full-time residential care can feel more secure at home, giving them the confidence and reassurance that help is at hand if they need it. It also provides peace of mind for their families and support for their carers."

Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Health Minister, said: "Res-earch has consistently shown people want to stay at home as long as possible and we are committed to enabling that to happen."

He said the telecare pilot had reduced the number staying in hospital longer than necessary and cut the average length of stay in care homes.

Fiona Collie, spokeswoman for Carers Scotland, welcomed the move: "Anything that supports independence in elderly and vulnerable people is to be welcomed. It would also bring peace of mind for carers, knowing their relative has access to this kind of facility."

She added: "Putting someone into a care home is a difficult decision and a scheme like this can delay this or stop it happening at all."

Helena Scott, head of policy and research of Age Concern Scotland, said a similar scheme had found elderly people "very accepting" of it.

She added: "We very strongly welcome this new scheme because we believe it is a positive step forward in allowing people to stay in their own homes, in their communities and with friends and families." 

Sarah Bromley, of Alzheimer Scotland, said: "Anything that can help people stay at home longer and also take the pressure off carers should be welcomed."
Christine Grahame MSP, shadow social justice spokes-woman, welcomed the scheme but cautioned it "must be a supplement to the present support and not a substitute".

She added: "Hopefully, this will be genuine assistance and not a cost-cutting exercise to replace residential wardens who will still be required as elderly people get too frail to cope with any technological advances."

Copyright © Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us