Report on telecare and telehealth shows services can lower mortility rates in older people

Telehealth and telecare services have been shown to reduce death rates by as much as 45 per cent, according to a review of the Department of Health’s 3 Million Lives initiative.

Care services Minister Paul Burstow said: “This paper shows that telehealth can help to reduce emergency hospital admissions by 20% and mortality by 45% for patients with long-term conditions. To realise these benefits we need service transformation – and telehealth can help deliver that change.

“We are working closely with industry, the NHS and social care organisations to make progress through the 3millionlives initiative to develop flexible funding models with a reduced price point, which will achieve the economies of scale needed to make telehealth a success.”

The 3 Million Lives initiative has been created to try to help the estimated three million people that will benefit from the use of telecare services, such as personal and environmental sensors in the home, that enable people to remain safe and independent in their own homes.

The personal alarms are monitored 24 hours a day and help to provide piece of mind that if an older person has an emergency such as a fall, hypothermia, bogus callers or forgetting to take their medication, action will be taken immediately.

The benefits for alleviating pressure on long term NHS costs that telecare can do has also been championed.

One council that is making sure that its residents can benefit from telecare is Trafford council, who has launched a Telecare Pledge Scheme, providing people over the age of 80 with a one year free trial of using the products in their home.

Executive councillor Michael Young said Trafford’s telecare scheme has proved extremely popular with local people who want to remain living at home.

“The council is determined to continue providing flexible, innovative care solutions to support all those wanting to remain living independently to do so.

“This pledge will provide more people with the opportunity to experience the huge benefits of Telecare equipment for themselves. This further investment in adult social care is an important element of our continuing focus on providing personalised, quality care at a time and in a way local people need and deserve.”

Corporate director of communities and wellbeing, Deborah Brownlee, reinforced the importance of the Telecare pledge for local vulnerable people. She said: “This pledge is the latest stage in the council’s two year Telecare project.

“It is encouraging to see so many people already benefiting from Telecare equipment and services within their home. However it’s important to us that anyone over 80, or their families, who think this free year trial may be of interest to them take time to find out more.”