Northmoor Vision

Services for the Elderly

At home or when you are out and about.

Simple ideas which can save your life.

There are a number of services available for the elderly, in particular, but potentially of great value to anyone in the community. Here are some brief details of services that Northmoor Parish Council recommends.

Message in a Bottle

When the Emergency Services are called into the home of someone who has collapsed or been involved in an incident, they are faced with many questions. Who is this person? What medication are they taking? Are they allergic to anything? Who are their next of kin (or carers) to contact? Are there any pets in the house who will need care if this patient has to be taken into hospital?

The answers lie in the “Message in a Bottle”. The small plastic container contains a yellow form on which the owner has put the vital information - medical conditions, regular medications, allergies, doctor’s details etc. This information could obviously prove critical in deciding any appropriate treatment or other necessary action. The bottle is placed in the fridge, on the door shelf just above where the milk is kept and a green sticker is placed on the outside door of the fridge. A second sticker is placed on the inside of the main entrance door.

The Message in a Bottle scheme is very strongly supported by our local Emergency Services who are impressed by the simplicity of the system. It is also now a national scheme – run throughout the country by Lions and some other organisations all with the same aim – ensuring that their community is being helped to the maximum. There are now over 106,000 of these little bottles in the fridges of Oxfordshire alone.

Message in a Wallet

This is a concertina style note that folds to the size of a credit card. You need to keep it inside your wallet or purse, to provide the Emergency Services with the details of any illness or allergy you may have, together with the names of people to contact. It is a handy way to keep all your medical information on your person while you are out and about.

Good reasons to have one?

It gives all the information needed if you are taken ill or have an accident.
A minimal amount of personal information is contained so that it is secure.
It is easy to replace if your medication or circumstances change; without it would you remember all that information?
It's easily carried in your wallet or purse.
The Emergency Services will be pleased to find it if they need it.

So you need both of these: one which can be very quickly found in your fridge if you have an incident at home, and one which can be very quickly found in your purse or wallet if you have an incident when you are not at home.

These are both available free of charge and can be collected from the

Red Lion in Northmoor

Lifeline Personal Alarm Service

www.eldercare.co.uk / 01993 222395

A personal alarm for the elderly or vulnerable gives users the freedom to live independently in their own home. With the touch of a button worn around the wrist or neck, the user can call the 24-hour emergency response centre for help should they have an accident when alone. The pendant can be worn at all times, including in the bath or shower, as it is waterproof. Your pendant will also work outside in the garden, as it has a range of up to 100 metres.

They work as follows:

- The user of the alarm needs help, so they activate the pendant they are wearing.

- An alarm call is received immediately by a 24 hour monitoring centre.

- The monitoring centre try to communicate with the alarm user by speaking to them over the base unit's loudspeaker.

- The monitoring centre then call your emergency contacts (if on level 1 package) or their care staff (if on level 2 package) and ask them to visit your home urgently. The emergency services will also be contacted by the Care Team if they are required.

Level 1 - £5 per week

Provision of an alarm base unit and trigger/sensors giving access to a monitoring centre, registered and accredited by the Telecare Services Association, to provide a 24/7 voice response to alarms calls only. The service user will need to provide names and contact numbers for at least two appropriate responders. These can be family, friends, carers or neighbours living within 45 mins. They need to be able to respond appropriately when contacted.

If, when the alarm is activated, it is obvious that a response is required from an emergency service then they shall be called in conjunction with the named responder(s).

Level 2 - £10 per week

Provision of an alarm base unit and trigger/sensors giving access to a monitoring centre, registered and accredited by the Telecare Services Association. The service users are not required to provide named responders at this level of service.

24/7 emergency visiting response by care staff. The provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission (including the provision of lifting aids with appropriately trained staff to Oxfordshire Shared Care protocols). Provision of a key safe may be required.

Financial assistance available after a full assessment.

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Volunteer Link-Up

www.vlu.org.uk, phone 01993 776277

Open 9am-1pm Monday to Friday.

Based in Witney and running since 1983, it offers transport, befriending and help with practical tasks by linking volunteers to those in need of assistance. Transport cost is currently 45p per mile, usually for a door to door service to doctors, hospital etc.

(For more information see also Northmoor Vision/Good Neighbour Scheme in the menu above.)