Accessing properties for the delivery of telecare services in an emergency

Abstract

As telecare systems replace traditional social alarms, service providers must change their operating procedures to deal with increasing numbers of people who need emergency responses to a range of different emergency situations. The telecarers or teleresponders will need immediate access to properties that they have probably not previously visited. This must be managed securely using digital access codes that operate either electronic door locks or key‐safes that contain the relevant key(s). This approach must offer a robust and reliable method of gaining access, which is acceptable to insurance companies, to service users and their families and to the emergency services. This paper describes the strengths and limitations of practical solutions, yielding a list of best practice principles, which should be adopted by telecare service providers.