06 November 2006

NEW PROGRESS HOUSING ASSOCIATION  in South Ribble has launched the Borough's first 'SMART' home after being selected by Lancashire County Council to roll out a new Government initiative to help older people across the region.

The SMART home is fitted with innovative Telecare equipment such as bed sensors, panic buttons, temperature and flood alarms, exit and entrance sensors and fall detectors to enable  older people to maintain their independence in their own homes. The system enables the Control Centre based at the Housing Association's Head Office in the town to monitor the property un-intrusively to ensure that the resident is safe and well.

The Government has pledged £ 80 million over the next two years to the modernisation and transformation of care services provided by local authorities and NHS through the use of assistive technology such as Telecare . Lancashire County Council has been awarded £1.6 million of the funding to expand the region's existing Telecare service. By the end of 2007, it is anticipated that 3000 additional people in Lancashire will be benefiting the service.

Says Loraine Simpson, Head of Customer Services at  the Association : 'This is an excellent opportunity to help and support local people who wish to be cared for in their own homes and maintain their independence.'

It is a system that could transform the provision of care services in the UK, and we are very pleased to be chosen by Lancashire County Council to be at the forefront of the rollout of Telecare in the region.'

We pride ourselves on being forward thinking organisation that embraces new ways of doing things that improves the lives of our customers without compromising on service.'

The Leyland-based Housing Association was selected along with three other lead partners  -  Housing Pendle, West Lancashire District Council and Lancaster City Council to co-ordinate the delivery of this service to hundreds of householders across the region and was chosen based on its excellent track record for its Lifeline monitoring service for older people.

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