Mobile Responders

‘Assistive Technology’ is a term used for devices or equipment used to support people to live independently and safely in their own homes.

Based in Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Assistive Technology programme offers an enhanced response for people who use a Lifeline Alarm (a personal alarm service), or other types of telecare.

Lifeline alarms are connected to a 24 hour monitoring centre who respond when an alarm is triggered and they decide on the most appropriate response to the situation.

The Transformation funded element of the programme includes a specialist Mobile Responder Service, which is made up of registered domiciliary care staff.

The Mobile Responder Service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This means if somebody has a fall and presses their personal alarm, members of the team can be with them as soon as possible (usually within one hour).

The staff in the service are very experienced and receive regular training from organisations such as the Welsh Ambulance Service and Social Care to ensure they can respond accordingly.

The Mobile Responder Service is able to successfully support a person with non-medical needs which means they do not need to go to hospital unnecessarily.

If they require further support to remain at home they can quickly arrange support through the Stay Well @ Home 2 service.

Wellbeing support

The support does not stop there.

As part of the Transformation Fund work, the Assistive Technology programme also includes a wellbeing assessment and proactive calling. This work is a pilot project for people who have received preventative service such as reablement.

This involves experienced call handlers proactively calling individuals who have received support from services such as reablement and have been independent of long term care.

Through regular calling, the call handlers can support people to live independently at home, while providing the reassurance that should things change, services can be arranged to provide the right support quickly.

How has the service helped people?

Since the service began:

• 5,541 requests have been made to the service
• Mobile Responders have assisted with 1646 falls and over 2000 welfare checks have been completed
• Over 96% of visits met the one hour response time
• 100% excellent/good service feedback has been received from service users, carers and professionals
• A quarter of calls managed within the Lifeline Monitoring Centre are outbound to help promote independence through proactive calling