Brought to you by
Durham County Council
While Care Connect is on hand every hour of every day to provide help and support when you – or a loved one – needs it most, this 24-hour alarm service also offers something that can make a world of difference to your everyday life: the peace of mind of knowing that should something happen, there is someone waiting to respond at the push of a button.
For vulnerable people who live by themselves and worry that no-one would know if they were to need help, and for their relatives, the service is literally a lifeline.
With 40-plus years of experience providing warden services across County Durham – including as Durham County Council’s Care Connect service since 2009 – you can rest assured that there is no situation Care Connect can’t deal with swiftly and efficiently.
How does the service work?
The customer is provided with a pendant which they wear either around their neck, on their wrist or clipped to a garment. Just pushing the red button on the pendant will connect them directly to a control centre, based in County Durham.
Calls for help are answered immediately by trained staff, who will know the customer’s name, address, emergency contacts and medical information. They’ll determine what help is needed and will send one of the service’s mobile responders, if necessary, to visit the home to do a welfare check or help if the customer has fallen.
The service aims to ensure that a responder arrives at a person’s property within 45 minutes or less of being despatched – a target Care Connect has achieved in 97.5 per cent of cases last year.
This alarm can be used if you feel unwell or have an accident or fall, allowing you to feel safe in your own home and able to continue living independently safe in the knowledge that if you do need help, it’s on hand.
At present, more than 11,000 households in County Durham benefit from the Care Connect service which allows people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.
It’s a great comfort to many The Care Connect kit can offer you peace of mind and allow you – or a vulnerable loved one – to continue living independently at home Durham County Council’s Care Connect service responders arrived within 45 minutes of being despatched in more than 97 per cent of cases last year families that their parents, grandparents, neighbours and vulnerable or elderly loved ones can press a button and have immediate contact with a trained and compassionate team – and 100 per cent of customers say they would recommend Care Connect to family and friends if they needed it.
While the peace of mind Care Connect offers is priceless, the service is actually very affordable.
Prices include VAT and are affected by whether or not you have a landline in your home. All include a one-off connection charge of £38.75 which will be confirmed at installation – but you can get free installation if you sign up before August 31 and take advantage of the summer sale.
If you have a landline which the unit can be connected to, Care Connect costs £5.65 per week, which includes the pendant.
If you do not have a landline you will be provided with a mobile freestanding unit at a cost of £8.98 per week, which includes the pendant. Care Connect also offers a range of additional support options which can be added to your plan should you require them. These include reassurance calls, weekly visits, monitored smoke detectors and additional pendants to replace those which are broken or lost. These can either be sent by post (in which case you will need to place a test call to ensure the pendant is working) or staff can visit your property to install and test the pendant.
Please note that these additional services do come at an extra cost. If you would like additional support on top of what the pendant offers, numerous types of equipment called Telecare are available, including items for people at risk of falling or to offer support for those with memory loss, dementia or epilepsy, as well as those who are deaf or blind.
Basically, Telecare can provide sensors and other equipment that can recognise when there is a problem or emergency situation in the home and immediately alert the control room so appropriate assistance can be provided.
One example of the technology available is a fall detector, an unobtrusive device worn about the person which can raise the alarm when a person falls. Other equipment available includes heat and smoke detectors, epilepsy sensors, temperature extremes sensors, door exit sensors and wandering devices. These can be used for people who are at risk of falls or night seizures, those likely to forget to take their medication, people who are becoming forgetful and are at risk of leaving their cooker rings or taps on or are at risk of hypothermia, and those living with dementia who are at risk of leaving their home at unusual times.
Telecare detectors can offer an early alert to the deterioration in a person’s health or mobility, reducing stress for people living with dementia and their families. If you need additional support in your home you can apply for the Telecare service through Care Connect. If you don’t want an assessment of your support needs through Social Care Direct, you can purchase Telecare items directly from Care Connect.
What customers say about Care Connect
“I just wanted to say how fabulous the service has been for my mum. My initial enquiry was only last week and two lovely, friendly and professional ladies came today to get it all set up for her. They were so brilliant, patient and kind with my mum – fabulous service and really appreciated. It will give us all peace of mind knowing she can access help if she needs it, as she is so independent.”
~ A Care Connect customer’s family member
“I would like to thank the staff for everything they did for me. They were excellent and you made me feel more secure. If I have another fall, I know you are there.”
~ A Care Connect customer
“I was a little unsteady on my feet, but I didn’t feel too bad. My daughter-in-law applied for Care Connect on my behalf. I thought: ‘I don’t really need this!’ Then, one night when I was all alone, I had a fall. I couldn’t get up, but then I remembered my Care Connect button – what a godsend! They came out to me at 3am in the morning. They got a special air chair which helped me up off the floor and they made sure I was okay. They were magnificent. I have never taken my pendant off my neck since. Even independent people need a little help now and then. Thank you Care Connect.”
~ A Care Connect customer
“I wanted to say thank you for the support you have been providing to my dad. The team have been excellent and very supportive. I live in London and my dad has a dementia diagnosis and I worry about him a lot. Your team have been brilliant and give me reassurance that he is okay. I was very happy with the recent response when you thought he was missing and contacted the police and my dad was found safe and well.”
~ A Care Connect customer’s family member
How to apply for Care Connect
You can apply for Care Connect for yourself or on behalf of a family member or loved one by calling 03000 262195, emailing care.connect@durham.gov.uk or by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/careconnect and filling out the online referral form.
This is easy and will only take a few minutes. You will be contacted to arrange a suitable date for a home visit when a survey will be conducted and personal information gathered. This is so the service is aware of your personal needs. A monitoring alarm unit will then be installed, and you will be shown how to use it.
To find out more about Care Connect call 03000 262195 or visit www.durham.gov.uk/careconnect.
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