Extending the scope of community alarm services Available to Purchase

The rapid evolution of the social alarm network in the UK during the 1980s is one of the greatest success stories of the local authority housing departments which championed their growth. Yet, during the past decade, when ‘care in the community’ became a reality and the number of older people living alone in society increased significantly, the number of connections has often grown slowly and investment in new technology has been relatively low. This article describes the features of new generations of ‘telecare’ using systems with increasing potential.