Dementia currently affects 700,000 people in the UK, a figure which is set to double in a generation, bringing a financial cost of over £35 billion in residential care and accommodation, lost earnings and unpaid tax.

Simon Burrow, Director of Trent DSDC, the charity that operates www.atdementia.org.uk said: "Telecare plays an increasingly important role in supporting people with dementia. When used appropriately – in a way that complements the support provided by families, friends and paid carers – telecare can actually enhance independence and increase the possibilities for a person with dementia to remain in their own home, or in supported community settings for much longer."

The Dementia Guide from Tunstall features real-life examples of where telecare solutions have been successfully deployed in people's homes and within residential or supported housing settings, enabling users to live independently for longer, and helping to reduce some of the physical and emotional pressure on carers, by providing reassurance that risks can be effectively monitored and managed, and assistance immediately summoned when required.

Ali Rogan, Tunstall's Group Marketing Director said: "We hope the guide will help health and social care professionals and carers understand how telecare can help relieve some of the immense pressures felt by providing round the clock support. Telecare is playing a key role in promoting greater independence, enabling people to remain within a familiar and comforting home environment for longer."

Unobtrusive sensors around the home raise an alert to the 24-hour response centre or carer if a possible problem is detected. For example, telecare can help prevent people with dementia coming to harm through leaving their home inappropriately, often for long periods of time, and being unable to return unassisted. Risks associated with daily activities including cooking, walking around, household security or flooding, can also be managed, for example, by alerting if a gas leak is detected or if the oven is left on.

Telecare from Tunstall has been successfully deployed by Northamptonshire County Council as part of its pioneering Safe at Home project, enabling people with dementia to receive the care and support they need in their own homes for longer, and achieving equivalent cost savings of over £1.5 million over the 21 month period.

For more information or advice on the role telecare can play in supporting people with dementia and their carers, visit www.tunstall.co.uk/dementia

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About Tunstall
Tunstall is the market leading provider of telecare and telehealth solutions, with over 2.5 million users globally. Tunstall’s solutions support older people and those with long-term needs, to live independently, by effectively managing their health and well-being. Tunstall provides technology, expertise and advice to millions of people enabling them to lead independent more fulfilling lives. For more information on how telecare and telehealth can improve quality of life, visit www.tunstall.co.uk