Digital care services including a video call system have been introduced in a retirement housing provider, setting new standards in supported living.
Housing & Care 21’s investment – in partnership with Appello, a leading provider of smart living solutions – is part of an overall plan to deliver the best modern care and support services possible for its residents.
Following the success of the first Appello digital care system in 2015, Housing & Care 21 has committed to an extensive programme of installing digital solutions in all of its developments over the next few years. Sixty of Housing & Care 21’s developments are already live with digital care services, with a further 40 developments planned for installation by April.
The developments will all benefit from a digital call system that replaces the more traditional analogue system. Residents will have faster call connection to emergency careline services, reduced from around 90 seconds to four seconds on the new digital system. Feedback from residents already using the new digital systems has been overwhelmingly positive, with 83% stating that they feel greater reassurance from the reduced connection speeds and that the video option is less intrusive than a visit from a carer.
A modern tablet replaces the traditional alarm units, while the improvement of social inclusion with video enabled room-to-room calling has allowed better security and a less intrusive lifestyle monitoring of residents. As a result of the upgrades, more than half of those surveyed saying they felt their wellbeing had improved as a result of the installation of Smart Living Solutions.
The digital care system allows providers to offer an absent-until-needed service
Tony Tench, chief operating officer at Housing & Care 21, says both his company and Appello have been keen to push for an appropriate digital care solution to address the growing challenge of caring for older people in their homes. He adds, “Appello has provided a number of services to us for many years now, including call monitoring. At Housing & Care 21, we decided not to invest in analogue systems going forward as these are yesterday’s technology. We are committed to providing a more contemporary service, fit for modern times, and going digital allows us to look at new service models.
“A retirement housing environment can seem quite intrusive, especially as part of our service typically includes contacting residents to make sure they are OK. A digital system allows us to provide a lifestyle monitoring arrangement where people’s normal routines are understood and supported discreetly, with an absent-until-needed service.
“In the future, we’re looking to invest more heavily in digital care platforms. We’re spending more year-on-year and we have established a programme that will see around 40 new installations delivered over the next 12 months.”
Tim Barclay, CEO at Appello, comments, “Housing & Care 21’s enthusiasm and passion for providing digital care services has given Appello the opportunity to work in partnership with them and continue to develop the best technology for residents of Retirement and Extra Care Housing. Housing & Care 21 has really set a benchmark for other housing organisations, demonstrating how beneficial digitisation is for residents and for housing providers in enabling the best care and service possible.”
