Tech helping people stay in their own homes praised by councillors

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

Technology such as tracker watches, Ring doorbells and computer screens are being used to support elderly and disabled people in Wales to live in their own homes. 

Councillors who praised the service run by Monmouthshire County Council and which also operates in Newport have said they plan to write to the local health board and Gwent Police to highlight how it is potentially saving both organisations huge costs. 

Ian Bakewell, the council’s housing and communities manager, said it is hoped to develop the service across Gwent by working on a regional level with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the three other local authorities. 

Sian Mawby, the council’s sustainable living team manager, told the council’s People Scrutiny Committee technology is used to help people to remain in their own homes, and gave an example of an elderly widow living in the south of the county who’d suffered a stroke. 

She said: “Assistive technology has been used to open the door and turn lights on and off and has enabled her to have some independence and control in her life.” 

Technology is also used to support younger people and Ms Mawby said: “A young dad who is an amputee, who developed scepsis and lost all their limbs, was a desperately sad situation and was in hospital for many years before we could get him home.” 

Ms Mawby said other technology used includes Ring doorbell cameras for those who can’t get up to answer the door and a television style computer screen which people can use to talk to carers, or family members, without having to pick up a telephone. 

She said family members can also use the screen to share photographs and messages such as prompts and reminders to take medication which she described as helpful to those with dementia. 

Councillor Sue Rilley said a different council committee, during a meeting with police, had raised the potential for cost savings from tracker watches and suggested it should consider if it could support purchasing such technology which could help avoid vulnerable people going missing. 

The Labour councillor said: “The tracker watches are a very impressive piece of technology and around £500 a piece and can save police a huge amount of man hours.” 

Conservative Penny Jones asked why the health board hadn’t established a regional strategy and said: “It could benefit them so much”. 

The assistive technology team was expected to have overspent its budget by £39,350 in the financial year to March and during the last financial year received £21,000 in income over and above client fees, £6,000 grant funding to assist with maintenance and £11,298 to purchase equipment which added up to £38,928. 

Ms Mawby said users pay a standard charge of £5 a week with an additional £1 for every item but the charge is capped at £10 a week and there is also a one off £50 instalment fee for each item.