Grand Union Housing Group telecare service image

Grand Union Housing Group, a not-for-profit housing provider, has launched a new telecare service to help elderly and disabled people across Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire.

Life24 is a new alarm service that aims to transform the lives of the elderly and those living with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy, sensory impairments and other disabilities.

It also supports hospital discharges by enabling patients to live independently at home, increasing their wellbeing and reducing pressure off the health and care system.

Life24 users are provided with a personal alarm and specialist sensors, which, when activated, automatically alerts the group’s professional call monitoring centre. The call handler will then identify an appropriate response, including calling the emergency services or a nominated responder.

Although the housing group has been providing an assistive technology service for its residents for the past 25 years, the new telecare service provides 24/7 monitoring and will be available to any resident in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire who feel they would benefit from it.

Deborah Stuart, Director of Independent Living at Grand Union Housing Group, said: “Life24 is quite literally a lifeline for many people. It enables patients who are being discharged from hospital, the elderly and long-term disability sufferers of any age to live with independence in their own home.

“The launch of Life24 celebrates the fact that the service is now available to anyone in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire; not just those who live in our homes. We hope it brings a sense of independence and improved wellbeing to hundreds of individuals across the area.”

The service is customised to provide extra support using the latest technology and safety equipment such as fall detectors, bed and chair, epilepsy and door sensors. The emergency alarm links to a dedicated control centre 24 hours a day.

Leanna McCartney, a 26-year-old from Bedfordshire, has Syncope – a condition that causes her to lose consciousness, which means she can’t be left on her own. She uses the Life24 assistive technology service to alert her family if ever she falls.

“Without the alarm I wouldn’t be able to live on my own, I would have to have full time, 24/7 live in care,” she said. “I can now be left on my own and have now been able to shower without having someone else there, which couldn’t happen for a couple of years.”

Leanna’s two-year-old daughter has also been able to operate the assistive technology system.

“Harley is only two and she has learnt to press the button if I faint,” Leanna added. “She tells them that mummy is sleeping and the alarm team are so good with her, they keep her calm and talking while they phone my mum on another line, and keep talking until my mum gets there. It’s amazing, I didn’t expect that at all.”

Established for over 25 years, Grand Union Housing Group is a not-for-profit organisation that provides 12,000 homes for more than 27,000 people across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire.

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