Monmouthshire Council is supporting Dementia Awareness Week by highlighting how our assistive technology service can help.

There are more than 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia. 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia in the UK.

Dementia Awareness Week this year will take place from 19th – 25th May 2025. The campaign is run by Alzheimer’s Society, with the aim of encouraging people and organisations across the UK to act on dementia, and to raise awareness of the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis.

If you’re worried about yourself, or someone close to you, get help describing your symptoms to a GP by filling in the symptom’s checklist. www.alzheimers.org.uk

Lifeline and Pendant

A lifeline unit is linked to the monitoring centre at Caerphilly County Borough Council. The control centre operates a 24/7, 365 days a year monitoring service, where all calls will be answered in a professional caring manner. The lifeline will support linked devices within the home to include neck or wrist worn pendants, wrist worn falls detectors, bed and chair occupancy sensors, epilepsy bed sensors, environmental sensors (Smoke, Heat, and Carbon Monoxide) and property exit sensors. The monitored service relies on local responders. If no local responders are available, a key safe will need to be at the property before an install can take place.

Wrist Worn Falls Detector – linked to a lifeline (dual purpose with pendant)

Wrist worn falls detector – dual purpose sensor, has an accelerometer which if senses a direct fall with the speed and impact to the ground and does not sense the wearer getting back up in a short period of time, it will automatically send an alert to the lifeline monitoring centre. If the fall is not detected and the person is able to, the emergency button can be pressed on the unit. All activations from the falls detector to the lifeline will send an alert to the operator who will, check on the person’s well-being and call for responders to attend as necessary.

GPS Tracking Devices

GPS mobile social device (wrist worn, neck worn or clipped) can be set to call registered contact numbers for family to either alert when the wearer exits the property or when leaving the pre-set safe zone. Safe zones would be set via geofence area on a map which allows the wearer to mobilise in a zone and if they leave of this area, the alert is triggered. Alerts will also be sent when the person returns to the safe area. The device will only call registered phone numbers and will only accept calls from registered numbers. It allows two-way conversations. The family responders will have access to a portal for viewing locations of the device and history of calls incoming and outgoing.

Property Exit Sensors – linked to a lifeline (self-activating sensor monitoring equipment)

Property Exit Sensors are linked to the lifeline using a control box. Door magnets are then placed on the main doors of the house. There is an option of sensor mat (as long as this does not create a trip hazard) these can be set to 24/7 or specific times where the risk of wandering is higher. The Lifeline is typically placed by the front door to enable the operator to talk to the person as may be able to negotiate with them to return inside the house. If no response the responders will be called to attend.

Smart Tech

Echo show or Dot with Smart Light Bulbs, Smart Plug and motion sensors. Equipment set up to reduce the risk of falls during nighttime, by providing light on the journey to the bathroom for example. Smart light bulbs can be added in the bedroom, hallway and bathroom which can either be set to a timer to activate or by voice activation. Echo Show and Dot will allow you to set up medication prompts, play music, ask things such as what day it is, or what the weather is like. Video calling family and friends can also be possible through the Echo Show.

Smart Plug

Smart plug sockets also available for bed side lights. Having lights on when navigating around the home will allow the person to see better at night which will reduce the risk of falling.

Switchbot – a robotic light switch that works with Alexa and allows you to turn on ceiling lights with voice activation.

Ring Doorbells

See, hear and speak to visitors from anywhere in your home with the Video Ring Doorbell. You can link this to your Alexa and view the doorbell camera at any time ensuring the safety to the service user.
Please note – *an amazon account is required by service user prior to installation

Interactive dog / Cat

Feels and sounds just like the real thing!  With soft fur, gentle sounds, our realistic pet companion brings comfort, joy and companionship with its soothing, interactive presence. 

Komp

The Komp is used to communicate with family and friends with no hassle or stress and is an easy way to communicate. It looks like a small television which can be set up where the service user spends most of their time.
The family downloads a simple to use app which has three buttons i.e. video call, add photo, add text.
Family and friends with access can make video calls, send photos and messages to the KOMP at any time. To answer a video call, the service user does not have to press any buttons, it announces the call and automatically answers 10 seconds later. When photos are sent to the KOMP it acts like a digital photo frame and rotates the photos throughout the day. This technology creates peace of mind for family and friends and helps the service user to stay in touch.