ELDERLY people living in rural areas will receive more short-term care in their own homes in future, through an emergency response scheme.

The Durham Dales Primary Care Trust's rapid response team is now fully staffed and members will be able to provide better support for pensioners in Teesdale and Weardale.

The scheme was launched two years ago but suffered from lack of staff and has only recently been able to be declared fully operational.

The scheme is able to support people who are over the age of 65 years and are facing a temporary health problem or carer crisis.

It is designed to help older people living in rural areas who are normally independent but need short-term care if they have fallen ill with flu or a chest infection, or hurt themselves in a fall.

The service can also help with overnight care, specialist equipment can be supplied to homes and the team can arrange for a physiotherapist to make a home visit.

The team of co-ordinators consists of a district nurse, social worker, occupational therapist and technical instructor.

Clients are assessed by co-ordinators who arrange emergency care to enable individuals to remain in their own home instead of being admitted to hospital.

Care is provided for up to 14 days and typically attends to personal care, meal preparation, fire-lighting, shopping and laundry, as well as supervision of medication.

The team of co-ordinators will also carry out regular reviews to ensure that elderly clients are improving once they have become independent again.

District nurse Allison Cunliffe said the scheme was now up to full strength and would provide elderly people living in the dales with an important service.

She said: "It is designed to help elderly people needing emergency care when they fall ill or fracture a limb, for example, but want to stay at home instead of being admitted to hospital.

"Co-ordinators will assess each client and then organise for a carer to help on a short term basis until they are better again and can return to living independently. We will also review clients and help with rehabilitation.