Whilst Joyce was in hospital it became apparent that she wondered around during the night and her husband, Bob admitted that she did this at home too and that he wasn’t sleeping very well as he was worried that she might become disorientated and fall down the stairs.

Their family suggested moving to a bungalow, but neither of them wanted that, so a nurse at the hospital suggested that TECS might help them. The nurse directed their family to the NRS website where they ordered some property exit sensors, a bed sensor mat and a fall detector.

Although her health has deteriorated and Joyce now has a carer for most of the day, the TECS has allowed her to continue living with Bob in their own home. Bob can still get a good night sleep knowing that he’ll be alerted if Joyce gets out of bed for too long or tries to go outside of the house.

Joyce's granddaughter, Lauren, who organised the TECS with NRS Healthcare has said “At least grandma can still be at home, if she didn’t have the sensors and the fall button then she would have had to go into a care home. She’s much happier at home and if she’s happy, we’re happy”.

After some research Maureen's family contacted NRS Healthcare and went through a telephone assessment of their needs with a trained Occupational Therapist. The Occupational Therapist recommended a base unit connected to the telephone line and a pendant, which Maureen can use to talk to the contact centre if she needs help.

A driver technician from NRS installed the products for Maureen. He also suggested to her family that a key safe might be a good idea in case they were out and the emergency services needed to gain entry to go to their mum's aid.

Two months after the products were installed we contacted Mrs M and her family to ask how things were going.

Maureen's daughter said, “it’s saved me 10 hours a week, as I feel confident that I don’t need to come home at lunch to check on mum” and her mum added “it’s given me peace of mind that I can call from help by pressing my pendant which is always with me”

Carol, Andrew's wife, says “My husband was having falls all the time. I was calling the paramedics out in the middle of the night. I have been struggling for a long time and myself and my husband were both exhausted. My husband goes into a care home for respite for 3 days a week which was time for myself, but I was too tired to socialise and found myself trying to get things done around the house as that was the only chance I had to do them.” Carol said that her social life and confidence were being affected.

Since having the bed sensor fitted for Andrew, his wife confirms that things have improved greatly. Carol says that she and her husband are having much better days and nights, and that she is no longer reacting to other noises in the night. When Carol hears a noise, she is reassured by having the bed sensor. Both Andrew and Carole are having better night’s sleep, and Andrew is much more rested in the day due to this. His wife told the team that the bed sensor has also had an impact on their dog’s lives; two terriers, as they are calmer due to getting much longer and needed walks. The dogs are an important part of Andrew's life.

Carol told us that having the bed sensor fitted has given “Me my life back. I am not up all night at every sound I hear as I know I only need to listen for the alarm. You don’t realise how much you lose yourself in looking after someone until you get the help you need. I do not feel there is enough out there about this service. I didn’t know these products were available or how to ask for them.”

Following an in-depth assessment so we understood all key issues, we provided a tailored TEC solution. Equipment included a Lifeline with a pendant alarm, bed, chair and door sensors as well as an Oysta Pearl. These ensured Kevin could call for help if he needed, could be located if he wandered and would send alerts if he got out of bed or left the house during the night or when left alone.

As a result, Jayne’s anxiety regarding Kevin’s safety reduced, as she was now more confident in leaving her husband alone and has begun gardening again – an activity she loved but felt she could not do whilst caring for her husband. Due to her own advancing age, she also feels that both her and her husband are now safer within their home.

Mr and Mrs S were referred to NRS Healthcare’s Technology Enabled Care Service (TECS) for a solution. A lifeline solution with personal pendant was suggested: Mr S would be able to use the pendant to call for assistance whenever needed, meaning he would not be vulnerable if left unsupervised. This reduced Mrs S’s anxiety about leaving the house and has improved her confidence to be able to go out. Mrs S is even considering taking days out or a short overnight break to get the respite she needs, knowing Mr S is safe and able to get help if needed when she is not there.