Sensors to help people with dementia live longer at home

SENSORS are going to be installed in the homes of 30 people with dementia in the East Riding as part of a pilot project to keep them at home longer.

People with diagnoses of dementia will be given a personalised package of “telecare” – equipment that can send alerts when doors are opened or beds are vacated and can automatically switch on the lights.

In the East Riding, the numbers affected by the disease are expected to double to more than 8,000 by 2025.

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The project will be evaluated by researchers at the University of Hull to decide whether it should be given a wider roll out. Head of adult services at the East Riding Council Rosy Pope said the funding – coming from the Health Education and Innovation Cluster – would pay for personalised packages of equipment similar to that already used in more than 12,000 homes in the East Riding.

Ms Pope said: “This is about maintaining peoples’ independence in a non-intrusive way.

“It is to ensure that people who would benefit from telecare are not excluded on the basis of dementia which can often happen.

“The National Dementia Strategy was developed in recognition that often people with dementia-related illnesses can often receive a lesser service and it’s about equality and the recognition that there are different things that can be done to enhance the lives of people and their carers which do not necessitate admission to care homes.”

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A local study has shown average age of admission to an East Riding care home is 89 – and one of the main factors is people developing the very challenging behaviour associated with dementia.

The pilot will run until the autumn and will be evaluated by researchers, who will also study the impact of a second project installing “telehealth” equipment in the homes of 60 people in the East Riding with long-term conditions, like chronic heart disease and chest problems.

Ms Pope said: “Telehealth consists of pieces of equipment that monitor the vital signs. The readings are sent automatically to the lifeline control centre where they will be monitored. The control centre will work very closely with the community matrons and they will report anything that is outside the normal limits.”

The two schemes are just one of a number of new projects being run by the council, with others aiming to reduce pressure on acute hospitals over the winter period.

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This week the council’s Cabinet discussed nearly £1m of funding from the Department of Health to spend on front-line social care services.

Of this about £200,000 is going to be spent on practical home support, with council workers helping people newly discharged from hospital with basic necessities – ensuring there’s food in the fridge, the heating is on and they have got their medication. The new scheme, which will run alongside one already provided by the British Red Cross, is due to start in May, but currently only has one-off funding.

An enhanced hospital social work team is also being set up to ensure late arrivals get speedy assessments.

“Everything we are doing in health and social care is about maintaining peoples’ independence, keeping them at home longer and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions,” said Ms Pope.

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Earlier this year, author Sir Terry Pratchett said the aggressive research into tackling Aids in the 1980s should be repeated to make dementia research a top priority.

Sir Terry, patron of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Alzheimer’s is a large number of small tragedies usually played out behind closed doors, so in spite of the numbers living with it, the world still doesn’t take much notice.

“When the world was shocked by HIV in the 80s we saw a crash programme of research which has helped tame it enormously. We need the same kind of aggressive action on dementia now.”

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