Technology Enabled Care (TECS)
Torbay Area
NRS – Torbay Office
Tel: 0300 100 0255 (option 1)
Email: Torbay TECS
Devon Area
Millbrook Healthcare
0330 124 4491
Email: devoncontactus@millbrookhealthcare.co.uk
What is Technology Enabled Care?
Technology Enabled Care (TEC) covers a breadth of services including the use of telehealth, telecare and telemedicine in providing care for people that is convenient, accessible and cost-effective*. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT) are developing the use of all of these services; for the purposes of this webpage we are primarily looking at telecare.
Telecare is the continuous, automatic and remote monitoring of real time emergencies and lifestyle changes over time in order to manage the risks associated with independent living.
It uses technology to support people to live safely and independently in their own homes, access their community and it can be helpful to people at risk of falls. TEC can play a significant role in supporting carers and family members who are balancing caring with managing the household, an additional household, childcare, work commitments or are elderly themselves and require support.
Terms which you may be familiar with are: pendant alarm, community alarm, assistive technology, telecare, and falls detectors. TEC can also include personalised sensors and apps that can support fitness, health, care and wellbeing for individuals and carers.
Technology Enabled Care:
- Increase your independence and confidence
- Assure family, friends and carers that their loved ones are safe when they cannot be there themselves
- Support carers as they look after others
- Send help quickly when it’s needed, whether alerting family and friends or even emergency services
- Be cheaper than having a carer visit *
- Replace hands on care
- Stop something from happening
- Fix the underlying problem
* A standard pendant alarm costs approximately £385 per year. If a carer visited for 30 minutes daily, you would have paid £385 after 6 weeks.