Although personal alarms have been in Australia for some time now, the new Feros Life Link system also provides additional monitoring options to provide unobtrusive, but effective solutions for those with Dementia. The Life Link system can be set up to provide day and night time alerts that can be triggered by Dementia related wandering.

According to recent research, ageing populations, such as those found in Port Macquarie and the Tweed, have had a significant increase in people suffering from the distressing and debilitating effects of Dementia. That’s why assistive technologies have such an important role to play in the well-being of those with Dementia because, without a significant medical breakthrough, there will be an even greater prevalence in the coming years of those with Dementia and all its related safety concerns for carers.

However, the Life Link system can also help Seniors who live alone because it can also be used to detect falls, ensure bathroom safety and identify problems in the home that can be caused by extreme temperatures, gas leaks or smoke as well as provide medication reminders.

Care Manager for the Port Macquarie Region, Ms Bridgette Clarke, had this to say about Life Link Telecare packages, “Technology has grown in leaps and bounds. Not only can we offer personal alarms to people who need them, but we can also provide other ‘assistive technologies’ in the same package. This means people can stay in their home as long as they want too with greater safety and more security. Feros Care it is all about supporting people who choose to remain living in their own homes as well as reducing the worry and stress of family and carers.

Ms Clarke went on to say, “Anybody wishing to receive more information about the range of Feros Care services now available in the Hastings region can find out more from our website, www.feroscare.com.au or by calling our friendly team on 1300 851 771.  But, I really think local Seniors will be delighted to find that Feros Care’s Life Link’s Telecare services will offer them even greater lifestyle choice.”

Port Macquaire local, Ms Bridgette Clarke, who was recently appointed by Feros Care as their Care Manager for the Port Macquaire Region has this to say, “I am delighted to be working in my home community for such a well-respected organisation.  Although Feros Care may be a new name in this regon, they have been providing a wide range of aged and community care services tailored to meet the needs of older people and those with disabilities on the Far North Coast and in South East Queensland for over 20 years”.

She went on to say, “Feros Care Ltd. is a community-owned not for profit company and are dedicated to providing support and assistance to Seniors and those with disabilities who want to reamin in their own homes but need some help to do so.”

The CEO of Feros Care, Ms Jennene Buckley, opened the event and also introduced Feros Care’s new range of the Telehealth Care products which have been specially designed for ease of use by people with a wide variety of health and care needs.

Ms Clarke, along with Will Grant from the company that has brought the Telehealth Care range to Australia, gave a demonstation of these ‘assistive technologies’ to show how they can provide easy to use solutions for people who want to live in their own homes longer but with greater safety.  For more information on Feros Care and the services they offer, please contact Feros Care on 1300 763 583 or visit their website at www.feroscare.com.au

Feros Care Winners

Feros Care won both the Not-For-Profit Network Project of the Year 2008 for ‘Northern Rivers Primary Palliative Care Project’ and Organisation of the Year 2008.

View the article – click to download PDF. 2008-Organisation-Project-of-Year

Feros Care unveiled a hi-tech, central communication centre called the “Community Gateway”, which enables more efficient delivery of aged care services, along with a range of assisted living technologies that allow people to remain living in their own home longer and retain their independence.

The assisted living technologies, which are already widely used throughout the UK, are new to Australia and include falls detection, emergency response, exit monitoring (for people with dementia), environmental safety (including bathroom and kitchen), night time safety, continence management, and daily scheduled phone calls.

The technologies are a cost effective solution to allow people to remain living in their own homes safely and securely. They also provide peace of mind and relief for families and carers, who often can’t be present 24 hours a day.

While Australia’s aged care worries are regularly headlined, the NSW and South East Queensland are facing an acute aged care challenge. There are currently 1 in 5 people aged over 65 living in the region, compared to the national figure of 1 in 7. This ratio is expected to reach 1 in 3 by 2050. North Coast

Feros Care CEO, Jennene Buckley said: “With our region’s rapidly growing ageing population, it is essential we continue to find more advanced ways of allowing people to remain living in their own home longer.”

“We are on the cusp of a massive national increase in demand for aged care services, and I fear that unless we find creative solutions to meet this demand – such as we have announced today – we will be unable to manage.”

Feros Care’s new “Gateway” utilises advances in communication technology to create a central management and administration centre, providing a single point of call for the delivery of their 17 types of aged care services across Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland.

This central communication hub allows for the delivery of high quality aged care across a wider geographical area, eliminating excessive infrastructure costs which have traditionally been an obstacle in the establishment of aged care services.

PHOTO: Federal Minister for Ageing, The Hon. Justine Elliot, MP & Federal Shadow Minister for Ageing, Margaret May, MP with Feros Care CEO Jennene Buckley at Feros Care

Feros Care also received Organisation of the Year from the Not-For-Profit Network, as well as the Project of the Year for its Northern Rivers Primary Palliative Care Project.

The winner(s) will be announced on Friday, 14 November.

This award showcases the simple but smart use of technology at the Community Gateway which is a single point of entry connecting staff, services and care from Caboolture through to Coffs Harbour.

“The awards that Feros have won this year confirms that we are definitely travelling down the right path”, said Feros’ General Manager for Community Services, Gabriele Taylor.

Use the following links to check them out.

• Frequently Asked Questions for Residential Care Positions
• Frequently Asked Questions for Community Care Positions

As part of our Home Host initiative we recently launched a TV campaign. You can view the ad below or access it directly on YouTube — Home Host TV Commercial