More residents to benefit from technology-enabled care under new council plan
New care strategy offers greater reassurance for families and carers
More people across West Northamptonshire could be supported to live independently in their own homes for longer under a new council strategy that puts technology at the heart of adult social care support.
West Northamptonshire Council has approved a five-year Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Strategy, which will see digital and assistive technology considered earlier as part of adult social care assessments.
The approach aims to help people remain safe, well and connected to their communities while reducing the need for more intensive support.
Technology already in use includes personal alarms, falls detectors, medication reminders, GPS tracking devices for people living with conditions such as dementia, and remote monitoring tools designed to provide reassurance for both users and their families.
Councillor Laura Couse, the council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said the strategy was about helping people maintain their independence rather than replacing traditional care services.
"To be absolutely simple with it, it's moving into the digital age with care," she said.
"It's using simple technology to help people stay independent for much longer at home safely and well."
She stressed that the technology would complement care workers rather than replace them.
"It's not replacing the human touch in care. It's enhancing it"
The council said the strategy reflects growing demand for adult social care as people live longer and aims to focus on prevention and early intervention.
Cllr Couse said technology could help identify risks earlier and support people to remain at home for longer.
"There are so many additions to this and it's all enabling us to move towards prevention," she said.
"This will definitely help keep people at home longer."
Among the examples highlighted by the council are wearable devices capable of monitoring heart rates and oxygen levels, as well as smart technologies that can remind people to take medication or alert relatives and carers if someone has fallen.
Cllr Couse shared her own experience of how wearable technology had helped her mother during a health scare by providing information that emergency services were able to use.
"It certainly has the potential to alert us to risks long before they happen," she said.
The council also acknowledged concerns that some residents may feel uncomfortable using new technology or lack the skills to access it.
As part of the strategy, support will be available for people who are digitally excluded, with staff on hand to help residents and families learn how to use the technology.
"We are very aware that there are digitally excluded people that would struggle with this," Cllr Couse said.
"We have a team that would quite happily come out and go through the steps on how to use it and this would include families as well."