Caring for the growing elderly population means there is an urgent need to lay the foundations for the rapid and widespread adoption of telecare solutions across the UK but according to Housing e-Academy, the housing sector has been slow to switch on to the range of telecare available and the huge benefits it could bring to their residents.
Why is Telecare so Important?
Chloe Weatherhead Head of Housing e-Academy said: “Telecare supports independent living by providing health care services from a distance and our sister organisation Telesolutions e-Academy has found that the social housing sector is being particularly slow at switching on to the benefits.
“Budgets are being squeezed at every level and so the timing of the ‘telecare revolution’ could not be better as the financial and resource benefits are enormous.”
By 2025, the number of people over 85 will have increased by 70% to 1.9 million, and over the next 50 years the number of over 65's looks set to rise from 9.3 million to 16.8 million. With this staggering increase in the ageing population the demand for better technology has never been greater.
A report from the Centre for Social Justice on issues impacting on older people said:
‘The provision of assistive equipment can be hugely beneficial on maintaining or improving an older person’s quality of life. Yet, as an Audit Commission report recently revealed, low importance is attached to such equipment. This is in spite of mass research finding it provides good outcomes and reduced costs.’
“The housing and care sectors are facing what could be a major crisis which will have a hugely detrimental impact on the elderly,” adds Chloe.
Promoting Awareness of Telesolutions
“We are so concerned about this potential demographic time bomb that Housing e-Academy has teamed up with its business partner Telesolutions e-Academy to offer a new FREE course to social housing providers and tenants which who want to find out more about the range of products and services available to help people remain in their homes.
“Many people working in care and support may not be aware of how widely telecare can be used. It’s not just a tool for the elderly - it can be used to assist anyone with a healthcare issue and so also has implications for general needs tenants with vulnerable family members.”
Free Online Course for all Social Housing Providers and Tenants
To access the FREE course ‘An Introduction to Telehealth and Telecare’ click on the link and follow the on screen instructions. When registering for the course please choose ‘social housing provider’ from the list of organisations. The promotional code to entitle you to the free course is Housing2011.
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