Technology can play a key role in helping individuals and their families to enjoy a better quality of life. It can support independent living within the home and the community by providing an immediate response to emergency situations. Around 4,000 people in East Ayrshire are supported through our Smart Supports and Community Alarm services.
Smart Supports are enhanced services provided by East Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership which use technology to support people within their homes and communities.
These services can be requested through local social work offices, GPs or other health professionals. Discussions are held with each individual to determine the right support which will help them achieve the outcomes they aspire to.
Smart supports available
Smart Supports involve the remote or enhanced delivery of care to individuals in their homes or within the community. Smart Supports are available to anyone with social care needs living in East Ayrshire. Smart Supports can provide the following support:
- providing alerts to changes in care needs, emergencies or lifestyle changes via a range of sensors or alerts
- monitoring activity and environmental risks such as smoke detection, extreme heat, carbon monoxide and flood detection
- minimising personal risks associated with falls, memory loss or confusion
- facilitating earlier hospital discharge/preventing hospital admission
- providing reassurance to families that appropriate support will be provided to their loved one in emergency situations.
East Ayrshire Council has been providing devices such as community alarms, smoke detectors, fall detectors, bed occupancy sensors, epilepsy sensors, door monitors and medication dispensers since February 2001. These are monitored from the Council’s Risk Management Centre (RMC) which has embraced the use of technology to provide services which can potentially help people to live independently.
WG13
WG13 is a new Social enterprise and community space located on West George Street in Kilmarnock. The building hosts a Restaurant and Coffee shop on the ground floor, function and conference space on the first floor, and a digital hub on the second floor.
The telecare home environment can be found in the digital hub on the second floor, and is used by the Smart Supports team to show what kind of assistive technology is on offer and to help people access the service.
A member of the Smart Supports team will be on hand on a Tuesday for the digital hub drop in, and appointments can be made for Thursdays if you would be interested in visiting the hub.