Future of Dundee’s telecare to be decided

The future of a scheme which uses technology to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community is to be decided by Dundee City Council.

Telecare allows people to stay in their own homes using telecommunication and computer systems.

The social work and health committee is to look at approving an action plan for the next phase of the scheme.

Councillor Jim Barrie said in a statement: “The Dundee project has been given £100,000 of Scottish Government money, which has been matched by funds from the social work department.

“As part of the conditions of the £200,000 worth of backing we asked for, and have been given, a detailed plan of action for the programme for the next year, which I believe will give us better informed and better trained staff, a framework for buying more equipment and with it the ability to help even more people in Dundee stay in their own homes.”

The system uses equipment and detectors to give a continuous, automatic and remote monitoring of the needs of vulnerable people.

It can use information and communication technology to trigger human responses, or shut down equipment such as turning off a cooker or turning on a table lamp during the night.

These measures will help to prevent accidents and reduce hazards in the home.