Dec 6, 2019
One of the basic principles of a monitoring service is that it’s available 24/7/365. Which of course means that our brilliant operators are dedicated to ensuring that we can provide this continuity, even over Christmas and New Year.
Every day of the year, they help people who are worried or hurt, and ensure they get the help that they need. And we know, this doesn’t just mean the world to the people we support, it is a great comfort to their family too.
We are there to help people in emergencies, and when times are difficult. But I truly believe we should also be there to offer support in better times. To remind them to go to an appointment, to have their flu jab or to offer advice when the weather is extreme. To wish them happy birthday, or just check how they are feeling and have a chat.
Tunstall programmes in the UK and other countries have shown how this kind of proactive calling not only increases people’s wellbeing but also improves their health and care outcomes. Which in turn means there’s greater capacity to support the increasing number of people that need it as our population ages. Of course, this sort of programme requires investment, software, hardware and planning. But at the end of the day it’s fundamentally based on caring about the people in our society who need it most.
As the UK’s communications infrastructure continues to transition from analogue to digital, and as consumers we are all becoming more accustomed to using smart technology in our homes, I believe the time is right to combine intelligent tech with human interaction to enable us to manage rising demand and reducing budgets in a cost-effective way.
At a time of year when we all think a little bit more about goodwill, to family, friends and strangers alike, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, but especially to all people involved in supporting older people, and those with care, health and social needs.
You can read more about the success of proactive calling in this case study about Tunstall’s teleassistance model in Barcelona.
