Last updated:
2nd October 2023
Meet Katrina
Providing technology which can help reduce the risk of falls, manage risk and helps towards savings in long and short-term care
My name is Katrina Reeves and I am a Lead Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Practitioner for Wokingham Borough Council.
My team consists of myself as the TEC lead, three TEC practitioners; a project support officer and a project manager.
About the service
Our team provides specialist and high quality assessment and support to increase TEC usage across Adult Social Care (ASC) and partner organisations. It provides technology which can help alert the risk of falls, manage risk and helps towards savings in long and long-term care.
Our TEC team works with people who require our support (and their carers) to enable them to stay safe in their own home and where possible look at ways to improve their quality of life. TEC can feel less intrusive and help support them to feel more independent and empowered, whilst preventing and delaying the need for a formal package of care.
Due to the heightened economical pressures on local authorities, the TEC team works with social care and health colleagues to utilise the funds effectively by providing TEC to people as an alternative to traditional packages of care.
The aim is to promote residents’ independence and safety by enabling them to perform tasks they were previously unable to do or had difficulty doing.
About the technology
Through TEC enabled care, we also hope to prevent, reduce and delay the need for long-term care and support with the latest specialist technology.
We’re able to use the latest advances in technology to support, advise and train our adult social care and health care staff to access and use technology in the most convenient and cost-effective way to achieve positive outcomes for our residents.
We provide various types of equipment including sensors which can manage the risk of falls, monitoring equipment which can support health and wellbeing, as well as a location device to enable people to go out for a walk independently, whilst keeping them safe and offering peace of mind to family members.
Reducing feelings of social isolation and loneliness are high priorities for our team and we provide new ideas to work hand in hand with current care packages, including apps for mobile smart phones or tablets to manage anxiety and help them set achievable goals.
With technology evolving, our TEC service allows us to stay at the forefront of the latest advances in digital and electronic devices that can be used to support residents and their carers in a wide variety of ways.
Supporting residents’ families
Some people may not have family members living close by which can cause anxiety for all concerned. TEC can assist their loved ones by enabling them to communicate with each other and have oversight into a person’s health and wellbeing.
People who have family nearby may still prefer to retain their independence for as long as possible by using technology as a tool to do this, minimising additional pressure on family members, Adult Social Care and the NHS.
Referrals
Referrals are made by health and Adult Social Care colleagues. The service can also support people recently discharged from hospital to ensure the right support is in place.
A member of the TEC Team will carry out an assessment to see what technology the person will benefit from. TEC can range from a falls pendant to a GPS location device, and more complex pieces of technology. Devices such as Alexa or Google are widely used in homes and are encouraged because it empowers them to take control of their own health and wellbeing e.g. people can set reminders such as taking medication and managing their appointments.
Our team receives many referrals each month, with 95% resulting in TEC being prescribed.
TEC awareness sessions are now mandatory across Adult Social Care and TEC is now considered at each step of the customer care pathway.
Get help from the TEC team
- Email the TEC Team on TEC@Wokingham.gov.uk
- Visit the TEC team webpages
