These developments demonstrate our commitment to developing modern housing and care that suits the varying needs of older people and has been designed to help people remain in their own homes with their own front doors. By working in close partnership with health and social care, and including cutting-edge technology we have created a blueprint for innovation and excellence in housing for older people.
Helen Murdoch, Chief Executive, Hanover Scotland
The Challenge
Housing for older people needs to be flexible enough to be suitable for a wide range of people, and to also have the capacity to be tailored to meet individual needs, which may change over time.
How has including technology in two of its latest developments enabled Hanover Scotland to help older people remain independent at home for longer by providing integrated, preventative and person-centred care?
What We Did
Hanover Scotland has recently opened two new developments which have been purpose built to provide high quality accommodation and care for older people. Varis Court in Moray and Linkwood View in Elgin have been developed in partnership with Health & Social Care Moray (the Integrated Joint Board involving Moray Council and NHS Grampian) and the Scottish Government.
The developments provide accommodation for a range of older people, including those with dementia, wheelchair users, people with complex care needs and patients leaving hospital. Both schemes have onsite care staff and tenants are supported with the provision of 24 hour planned individual care and telecare to suit their specific needs.
Both Varis Court and Linkwood View have Communicall Vi systems which provide a platform for care delivery, access control and telecare technology. These systems have been installed using Cat VI cabling, which ensures they can be easily upgraded as technology advances, future-proofing Hanover Scotland’s investment.
Results
Health and Social Care Moray is ‘Committed to supporting people – particularly those whose needs are complex and involve support from health and social care at the same time – to live longer, healthier lives as independently as possible, through the provision of proactive, joined-up services.’1
Varis Court and Linkwood View are examples of this commitment in action. A multi-agency project management team was established to ensure the developments met the health, care and housing needs of tenants, and the post
of Operations Management – Care was joint funded by health and social care and Hanover. Regular meetings take place with stakeholders, including Hanover Scotland, Moray Council, and Health and Social Care Moray to ensure that the
developments continue to offer integrated, proactive care and support.
From a technology point of view, both developments utilise the Housing Service Portal (HSP), to help ensure the efficiency and quality of care delivered. The HSP is a specialist app running on a Windows tablet which connects via Wi-Fi to the Communicall Vi system and gives a live view of tenants’ activities as they happen. The app enables various factors, such as movement and sensors being activated, to be interrelated in order to prioritise and manage care. The history view enables past calls from individuals to be examined over time, helping to identify possible changes in need at an early stage, enabling care packages to be adjusted. Because the system operates using the schemes’ WiFi, the app can be used from anywhere in the schemes at any time.
