Technology-enabled care (TEC) specialist Essence SmartCare has partnered with Colchester City Council to enhance the county’s alarm service infrastructure using Essence SmartCare’s digital telecare solutions.

Under this partnership, residents of Colchester benefit from Essence SmartCare products, equipped with advanced connectivity to ensure a smooth transition for the analogue to digital switchover. Colchester City Council was also provided with trial equipment, staff training, and technical support to maintain the products helping seniors age in place safely.

“With Essence SmartCare, our top priority remains the residents of Colchester,” commented Colchester City Council. “Together, we prioritise their well-being and safety, ensuring they receive the highest quality of service. Through our partnership, we extend a guiding hand to navigate this transition, always with the needs of our community at the forefront.”

The transition from analogue to digital telecommunications infrastructure in the UK was threatening the safety of approximately 1,700 Colchester elderly residents using analogue telecare systems, according to the council.

Tasked with securing telecare availability for the city’s elderly residents, Colchester City Council selected Essence SmartCare to provide digital connectivity options to locals to ensure that their safety would not be compromised as technology shifts.

By equipping Colchester with an advanced digital alarm service, Essence SmartCare enabled elderly residents to continue to live safely at home with continuous monitoring. The digital telecare solution also provides an improved experience with personalised support and wider range of functionality than analogue systems.

Karin Schifter-Maor, CEO of Essence SmartCare, said: “Digital transformation has the potential to improve health care across the board; but it cannot leave our most vulnerable population behind. As the digital switchover sweeps across the UK, Essence SmartCare is committed to ensuring seniors’ ability to stay safe and connected at all times.

“We are honoured to be part of this important transition, ensuring that every senior in the community has the reliable, personalized support they need to safely and confidently age in place.”

Essence’s Care@Home platform is an ageing-in-place platform with an integrated suite of services, including compact waterproof telecare devices designed as jewellery, an emergency panic button, voice activation, and a voice extender.

The Essence voice extender is a critical component of the solution, as it allows elderly people to make two-way calls from any room in the home, providing a vital communication link even when the panic button is out of reach.

Using a rules-based approach, Care@Home notifies caregivers of any changes in daily routine to pre-empt potential issues and provide individuals with personalised care.

Virgin Media O2 and TSA recently announced a new partnership, which will see them work together to improve the support given to telecare users going through the Digital Voice switchover.