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Families
If a member of your family lives alone, and is becoming forgetful, or has dementia, you are probably anxious about them a lot of the time.
It is natural to fear the worst when someone you love is losing their mental sharpness, but contrary to expectation, people with dementia often maintain a good daily routine when they are in their own home where they are relaxed and orientated. Familiar surroundings provide cues and reminders and you may find that the person you are worrying about is managing better than you think. Just Checking will give an objective view of how someone is operating at home.
Most people want to stay in their own home for as long as possible, and indeed a move can add to confusion and deterioration. Just Checking can help you to focus on what a person can still do for themselves, and to support them with reminders and social activities. And if things change you can step in when you are needed.
We think it’s best if you hear from other family carers who are in the same situation.
"I’ve got my life back. I was popping into my mother’s house several times a day because I was so worried about her. Now I can log on first thing in the morning to see what type of night she has had, and if all is well, I take the children to school before calling in. I’m better able to manage after school activities with my children and I am even getting to the gym."
Suzanne Hughes, daughter, Essex.
"I have written to the local authority (who first provided Just Checking) to tell them what an excellent system this is."
Charlie Sheldon, brother, Waltham Forest.
"This system has taken 80% of the weight off my shoulders. My mother is not going out at night except when she pops next door to spend the evening with her neighbour. She’s going to bed and sleeping well. I work for myself and I usually pop over for half an hour during the day. Now I can see what time suits mum, so that the visit is enjoyable and I am not dropping in at a time that makes her all flustered.
At 92 she’s still managing fine."James Hewell, son, Bristol.
"I can see when the home care visit has been made in the morning, and when my father has been out to the newsagent to collect his newspaper, which he likes to do. He has a digestive problem which sometimes flairs up and I was able to spot when he needed medical attention after a very disturbed night when he spent a lot of time in the bathroom. This system has been a life calmer! Excellent. I tell everyone about it."
Liz Saunders, daughter, South Gloucestershire.
"Peace of mind. That’s the greatest thing. My brother, who lives in New Zealand also logs on each day. It helps to share the emotional load. If, in the future, Mum needs a higher level of care, my brother will be able to see it for himself and will support me in a decision to find suitable residential care. It won’t be me having to persuade him that the time has come."
Caroline Talbot, daughter, Warwickshire.
"Without Just Checking we would have gone down the route of residential care sooner. The system helped us know what was happening in my dad’s home, and to support him at home for longer."
Rachel Poole, daughter, Derby.
"Quite tremendous. When Just Checking was installed we thought it would be a matter of weeks before mum would have to move to residential care. But we were able to support her at home for over 9 months."
Sarah Palmer, daughter, Birmingham.
FAQs
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Families FAQ’s
Why don’t you just install a CCTV camera?
Cameras are more compromising of a person’s privacy, and you can’t sit and watch a camera all day. The Just Checking chart provides you with a 24 hour summary, at a glance, and this is much more useful for planning the care and support that someone may need.
How up to date are the activity charts?
The system updates its data every 5 minutes, so it is virtually real time.
What is the best way to explain this to my family member?
It can be useful to explain this as a system which could help them to stay in their own home, and help you to support them. This printable leaflet "Staying put in your own home" may help.
We have a number of users with dementia, who have bought the system for themselves.
Do I need my family member’s permission to install this?
If your family member has the capacity to consent, then you must respect this. The leaflet "Staying put in your own home" may help you to talk this over with your family member. If a person does not have the capacity to consent, then decisions are made in their best interests. You can also read this downloadable factsheet on ethics.
Does this infringe the person’s privacy/ human rights?
The system uses movement sensors to indicate that someone is up and moving about their home. There are no cameras and you can’t actually see the person. For vulnerable people living alone, any concerns about this type of monitoring need to be balanced against risks to their safety and need for support.
For a person with memory problems, Just Checking can be less intrusive than other forms of intervention, such as several pop-in visits a day. Not all visits are welcomed, particularly if a person cannot remember care staff. Older people and their families tell us that they all get more out of a single longer social visit, where perhaps they have a meal, or go out together, than several short ‘checking’ visits. There is less privacy if a person moves to a care home.
Just Checking supports the principle of safeguarding against deprivation of liberty, brought in by the Mental Health Act 2007. People who lack the mental capacity to consent to care should be cared for in a way that does not limit their rights or freedom of action. For most people these means being able to stay in their own home for as long as possible if that is their wish, and to be supported in the least restrictive way. Just Checking provides a clearer picture of a person’s capabilities in their own home so that they can be supported them in a way which enables them to do as much as possible for themselves.
You might also wish to read our ethics factsheet.
Does the system raise any alerts?
Just Checking is primarily an information system, not an alarm system. However, it can be set to give a text alert of someone leaves their home at an unexpected time, such as during the night. More information...
Sounds interesting but I’m not sure I’m willing to pay for something without trying it first.
If you are not happy with the Just Checking system or it doesn’t do what you expect, you can return it within the first month and we will refund all the costs.
Isn’t there a danger that people will be visited less with this type of technology?
Families tell us that yes, they do sometimes change their pattern of visiting. It allows them to concentrate on visiting for social reasons, rather than frequent, short "checking" visits to reassure themselves.
Can other members of the family log on too?
Yes, several members of a family can log on, and from wherever they are in the world.
Is there anything else I can do for my family member?
You might find these links useful.
Alzheimer’s Society, UK, www.alzheimers.org.uk
Carers UK www.carersuk.org
Your local authority can help with assessment and advice on local services.
Other devices that some of our users have found useful:
Assistive technology for people with dementia www.atdementia.org.uk
Keysafe, secure access for people and carer staff who you authorise www.keysafe.co.uk
Pivotell automated pill dispenser, reminds when to take medication and delivers the correct medication www.pivotell.co.uk
Magiplug - safety plug which prevents overflowing bath or sink www.magiplug.com
More information can be found in the Case Studies for Families section of the site.
To explain Just Checking to your parent or relative, you might find this downloadable leaflet useful.
