Over 9,000 emergency calls received by local telecare provider during pandemic

Technology enabled care service Connected Living, which is part of local housing association Aster Group, has received over 180,000 calls to its monitoring centre since the start of the pandemic.

The calls, received between March 2020 and February 2021, were triggered through pendants or other detectors which alert the team if a person has a fall in their home or requires assistance. Over 9,000 of the calls were made by customers specifically seeking emergency help which led to more than 3,000 ambulances being deployed.

Lynn Hillier from Romsey, Hants, has been using the Connected Living service for over 20 years. Mrs Hillier is diabetic, lives alone and wears an emergency call pendant that she presses to call for help if she has an epileptic fit. During the pandemic she used the service and said: “The first time I pressed the button I was having a hypoglycaemic attack and they told me to lay still while they called for help. All I can remember is saying, help me, help me, and they did.

“I really didn’t want it, I didn’t want to be labelled old, but I wouldn’t be without it now. I find it reassuring and I know my daughter does too.”

Kerry Appleton, operations and contract lead at Aster Group, said: “The majority of our customers are spending more time at home alone due to the pandemic, and as a result, we’ve seen people needing our support and the reassurance given by our team when they’re unable to see friends and family.

“Family members have also told us this gives them peace of mind when they are not always available. We’ve worked alongside our NHS colleagues in ensuring those ready to leave hospital are given this reassurance when they get home.

“The services help our customers to continue to live independently but know that at the press of a button, we’re able to offer support when it’s needed the most. We can also help ease the pressure on emergency services by assisting those customers that might be worried but not in direct need of emergency help.”

Connected Living gives users and their loved one’s peace of mind to help them stay safe, happy and living independently. Connected Living is an accredited member of the Telecare Services Association (TSA).

For further information visit https://www.aster.co.uk/connected-living/home.