Telecare

 Telecare in Coventry

Coventry City Council provides a service which is called telecare. This is a more advanced type of community alarm, where the person has a pendant button to press if they need help or support. With telecare, sensors are placed in the home to raise an alert in the case of an accident or emergency, instead of relying on the person to press a button to summon help.

Telecare aims to provide reassurance to people living on their own and to those caring for vulnerable people.

How Telecare works

Telecare works through a range of sensors that are installed according to the individual need of the citizen, following a social care assessment. A wide range of wireless sensors are available, connected to a central lifeline unit which is plugged in to a conventional phone socket and power point. Further information about the sensors is available on the askTara website which will tell you about equipment that we provide in Coventry , as well as other equipment that you may find useful and helpful.  

When an alert is raised, the sensor sends a signal to the lifeline unit, which automatically dials the control centre so that the trained operators can assess the situation and take the appropriate action, such as calling a family member or friend, or calling the emergency services. Help is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is a discreet system which helps people to maintain their independence and dignity, through a consistent and professional back-up.

Who could benefit from the service?

  • Older or disabled people
  • Individuals who have been discharged from hospital and require additional support and assistance at home
  • People at risk of domestic violence, racial harassment, repeat victimisation or distraction burglary
  • Those living in high crime areas
  • People of any age living alone

Telecare can detect events such as:

  • Fire and smoke
  • Flood
  • Carbon monoxide leaks
  • Serious falls
  • Someone leaving the house and not returning

Do I have to pay? 

There is a charge for the telecare service, which is currently £10.73 per week. If you are already paying for social care services, or are on a low income, you may not have to pay this charge.

How can I get a telecare service or find out more?

The first thing we have to do is assess your needs. One of our social workers or social care workers will usually do this. Your assessment makes sure you are eligible for services from us.  As we cannot provide services to everyone, we use eligibility criteria under national guidelines called Fair Access to Care Services to decide who is eligible for services.  These help us to make sure we provide services to those most in need.

To arrange an assessment, or get more information, contact the Council on 024 7683 3333.

If you would like to look at a wider range of equipment you could look at the askTara website, which will tell you about equipment that we currently provide for people who are eligible for social care, as well as equipment that people who are not eligible may want to purchase themselves or download Coventry City Councils Telecare Information leaflet

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