Launch Of Independent Living Centres

Northamptonshire County Council is launching an improved service which aims to help people remain independent in their own homes for as long as they want to. Independent living centres will now offer information and advice about a range of products and services which support people through assistive technology.

There will be a demonstration area in each centre offering a range of equipment that is used to provide home safety and personal security services. Telecare includes detectors and monitors such as motion or fall detectors, temperature monitors, gas detectors, exit alarms, bogus caller alarms and various other types of equipment that can be tailored to individual needs.

Councillor Rosemary Bromwich, cabinet member for adult care said: “We want to help older people and adults with learning disabilities to maintain their independence for as long as they want to. Our new independent living centres will act as one-stop-shops for all the services and information people might want to allow them to continue living at home.

“The technology on offer provides peace of mind to adults who are struggling to maintain their independence and their families and carers, and can often mean the difference between staying at home and entering permanent residential care. By basing these new centres at our existing adult day care centres in Patrick Road in Northampton and Gladstone Road in Corby, we are taking the services directly to the people who are most in need of them.

“In the past the county council had previously provided assistive technology through the county’s two ‘Safe at Home’ houses but the  scheme was limited to adults with dementia; the  independent living centres will be available to all adults who would like to find out more about the technology on offer.”
 
Specialist staff will be available two afternoons per week in each of the centres, with an intention to expand the service in the near future.