Whickham Villa News

Chase Park Rehabilitation Centre – part of Whickham Villa LLP – has installed ‘assistive technology’ at its Gateshead-based site. The system uses state-of-the-art sensors to support clients recovering from serious injuries and assists them in the development of independent living skills around their conditions.

Assissted by expert therapists, clients will initially learn how the technology works while at Chase Park. The reason for this is that the project also involves the introduction of the technology at clients’ own homes so by the time they move back into the community, they have a full understanding of how the system operates.

HomeCall, the telecare division of Coast and Country Housing, has installed the communication and monitoring devices in two apartments at the award-winning neuro rehabilitation centre. The apartments have their own front doors and cooking facilities and are there to be a step between living in a full-time supported care environment and a move to a more independent setting in the community.

Rehab specialist Chase Park primarily supports people with acquired brain and spinal injury as well as complex neurological conditions. Alistair McDonald, business development director at Whickham Villa LLP, said: “The introduction of assistive technology supports our step-forward rehabilitation philosophy.

“This involves providing clients with a period of specialist rehabilitation at Chase Park to aid recovery and then introducing this kind of focus on independent living that essentially prepares clients before their transition back into the community.

“Our partnership with HomeCall has allowed us to install the innovative system and educate our clients on how the equipment works. This gives our clients a much greater sense of independent living while still maintaining access to our specialist team before moving home,” added Alistair.

Using a lifeline pendant, a fall detector and a medication dispenser, clients are able to develop their independence safe in the knowledge that the system will alert Homecall’s contact centre 24 hours a day if there is a problem.

In the event of a fall or if a client doesn’t take their medication, they are automatically contacted by HomeCall. Movement monitoring devices enable staff at Chase Park to oversee unusual patterns in behaviour by residents, which is useful if clients are at risk of falls.

As well as providing a support service to residents at Chase Park, HomeCall supports more than 5,500 residents in its Teesside heartland. The telecare provider also recently completed a £1 million investment in its state of the art contact centre, which handles more than 100,000 calls a year.

Jason Howe, head of tenancy services at HomeCall, said: “It’s important that clients at Chase Park are offered this support service as it enables them to live an independent lifestyle but know that expert staff are on hand should they need assistance.

“If there is a problem, our contact centre will be alerted, which is a benefit to clients and staff as it provides reassurance that safeguards are in place should they encounter any issues.”