THE Wyre Forest district's main housing company is launching its own "Big Brother" style house, crammed with sensors and monitoring devices keeping a close eye on residents.
The hi-tech demonstration home being unveiled next month by Wyre Forest Community Housing has a vitally important aim, however - to help older and vulnerable people live independently for longer.
The super-flat in Habberley has been equipped with the latest telecare technology, with unobtrusive movement sensors, panic buttons, intruder alarms and carbon monoxide, fire, flood and gas detectors, all linked to a 24-hour emergency centre.
The system can be individually tailored to meet a person's specific needs. It can even check if someone has successfully got out of bed or has wandered out of the front door at an odd time.
Tenants of Wyre Forest Community Housing and their families will be offered the chance to pay to sign up to join the scheme and get the equipment installed and can even test it out first by staying in the demonstration home overnight.
The housing firm, supported by Worcestershire County Council and Wyre Forest Primary Care NHS Trust, has linked up with specialist provider, Tunstall.
It marks a major step up from the existing Lifeline alarm system operated in Wyre Forest, where tenants at risk of falls or accidents carry pendant alarms and have a panic button to press in case of an emergency.
The new service is designed to offer even greater peace of mind to older people and their families who might otherwise be considering abandoning their independence, particularly those due to leave hospital or a nursing home after an illness or operation.
Healthcare and social work professionals have been involved in drawing up the scheme, the first offered in the region.
Wyre Forest Community Housing's head of care services, Alan Dennett, said: "The local partnership between health, social services and housing believe that telecare technology will help to reduce the burden on hospitals and the residential care sector by enabling people to leave hospital earlier and return safely to their own homes.
"It also enhances our existing community alarm service and complements our objectives to help people live independently in their own homes for as long as possible but with the security of knowing that assistance is only a button push away."
A launch event will take place at the flat in Purcell House, Westminster Road, Habberley Estate, on June 8, when it will be officially opened.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article