Greenwich Telecare is a 24-hour, seven day a week service that helps people live independently in their own homes and arranges help in an emergency.
Several services are provided, including a Telecare alarm and emergency button, extra sensors and a home security package.
Telecare alarm
The Telecare alarm sits alongside your telephone and comes with a small button which can be worn as a pendant. When pressed, it connects you to a 24-hour response centre.
This service provides help and reassurance to people who:
- are older and at risk of falls
- are on occasion physically unable to move due to a disabling condition
- have suffered an acute illness or medical emergency, such as a stroke or a heart attack
- suffer from racial harassment, domestic violence, or are at risk of attack in their home.
This service costs £4.90 a week. If you live in rented accommodation and receive a housing benefit, you won't have to pay. If you own your own home, you may get help towards the charge if you have less than £12,000 savings and are on a low income.
Telecare sensors
Telecare’s high-tech sensors also help to support independence at home. These are additional sensors which trigger the Telecare alarm and are especially useful for people who have memory difficulties. These sensors will trigger a call when:
- an unlit cooker has been left, or a lit cooker poses a risk
- a bath or sink is about to overflow
- a person fails to return to bed at night, or has been inactive for an unusually long time
- an external door is opened and a person wanders from the property at night.
Home security package
Telecare also has a special home security package. The package includes:
- an intruder alarm
- a smoke detector
- a bogus caller button (this button triggers an alert if someone pushes their way into your home).
Carbon monoxide detectors can also be supplied.
Who can apply?
Older people, people with disabilities and people who have been victims of hate crimes and domestic violence can use the Telecare Service. To find out if you are eligible, contact us.
Make a referral
You can refer someone for a Telecare alarm using our Telecare referral form. Just download and print out the form, and post or fax your completed form accroding to the instructions on the form.
Print our Telecare leaflet
You can download and print out our Greenwich Telecare information leaflet here (pdf 360k).