Innovative telecare at Hanover Scotland with Community Network
Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association is using Community Network’s teleconferencing technology to provide ‘befriending groups’ for its elderly residents. The project which began in April 2011 is costing £1,000 for its 12-month duration.
Hanover has been using telecare for its residents for over a decade and while it offers a considerable advantages, telecare does not always provide the emotional support needed to maintain good health.
Hilary Stevenson, care services manager, Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association, said, “Although communication technologies are developing rapidly, serving the needs of older people is about delivering sustained medical and emotional care in cases of fragility, disability or other life-changing circumstances.”
The telephone care used by Community Network’s new project with Hanover differs from traditional methods by delivering peer support groups for elderly residents, whose age often means they lack meaningful social interaction for extended periods.
