La Spezia, the new teleassistance service (tele-assistance-telecontrol) dedicated to the elderly and frail people was presented.

La Spezia, the new teleassistance service (tele-assistance-telecontrol) dedicated to the elderly and frail people was presented.

This morning during a press conference at Palazzo Civico, the Mayor of La Spezia Pierluigi Peracchini presented, together with the councilor for Social Policies Lorenza Brogi, the launch of the experimental Teleassistance service (tele-assistance - tele-control).

Also present at the press conference were Official of the Social and Health Fragility Area of ​​the Municipality of La Spezia Carlo Melani and Michela Flaborea president of the Televita company which will manage the remote assistance service. The company will provide the necessary software and hardware for monitoring the elderly and making possible emergency calls.

“An initiative aimed at the elderly and the most vulnerable in our community which represents an additional tool to guarantee their well-being and safety – declares Mayor Pierluigi Peracchini – it is a timely and fast service, provided remotely using latest generation technologies, which aims to address the loneliness of our most vulnerable fellow citizens, making them feel safer and more independent. The municipal administration is close to the most vulnerable with many services provided through the Municipality's social services and our commitment is that no one is left behind and every citizen, regardless of their situation, is supported and valued."

“An innovative experimental service that adds to the countless services offered by this municipality towards the weakest groups, especially the elderly. Councilor Lorenzo Brogi explains. We enter the third millennium with easy-to-approach technological tools capable of monitoring, supporting and helping our weakest subjects who are our elderly, a great resource of our territory in our country. Together with all the other services that we provide directly to the person, this expands the range of the same and increases the capacity for monitoring and control and closeness to the elderly, indirectly also supporting the families on whom the burden, the duty but even the pleasure of assisting one's parents or grandparents, we help them in this process."

This is a service aimed at elderly or frail people, who wish to be followed and protected while staying at home. There are many elderly residents in our city and the pandemic experience has highlighted the need to guarantee and activate services aimed mainly at the elderly and frail population which are increasingly efficient and immediate in requesting assistance.

Teleassistance is a home care support service which contributes, together with the parental and/or friend network, to creating the indispensable conditions for the elderly and disabled person to remain in their family environment, to improve their quality of life and to support the family member in care work.

The Service materializes with the activation of a system telematic assistance at home, suitable to guarantee both prompt availability to receive the user's reports in the event of emerging emergencies (tele-aid) and scheduled contact with the patient (tele-company). All you need is a telephone or digital device (provided by the company) to be able to count on qualified staff 24 hours a day, ready to intervene in any need or emergency situation

The recipients are elderly or frail people who wish to be cared for and protected while staying at home, specifically people over 65 years old, adults with disabilities psycho-physical and “fragile” couples over 75, people who are alone or who remain alone for parts of the day (morning/afternoon/night).

Within these categories there is a priority determined by the level of self-sufficiency in daily life activities (eating, dressing, washing, moving) and by the following priority criteria of socio-health and social fragility:

• Taking 5 or more different medications per day;
• One or more hospital/RSA admissions or emergency room visits in the last 12 months;
• One or more hospital/RSA admissions or emergency room visits in the last 12 months;
• Difficulty or reduced walking (for example supported with aids);
• Most of the time is spent at home and/or there is little social interaction.

The service offers two control modes: tele-help and telecompany:

Tele-assistance

Thanks to a small portable device, consisting of a button and connected to the home telephone via a special device (or to a mobile phone with an emergency button*), each user is connected 24 hours a day to an operations centre. By pressing the button, if necessary, the patient can speak hands-free with the operators at the station. The computerized personal file, containing all the useful data in the event of an emergency (location, health conditions, contact persons and those in possession of keys), allows operators to activate a timely and adequate response to the need.

Telecompany

Once or more times a week, the identified assisted people receive company phone calls which encourage acquaintance between users and operators and socialization. Thus, constant communication is established which facilitates the prevention of needs, offers attention and safety and improves the quality of life.

The service is free in this experimental phase for a maximum of 100 people and is activated at the request of interested parties, their family members or legal representatives by completing the application for access to the service, by contacting the Citizenship Help Desk.

CITIZENSHIP DESK – Via Fiume, 207 0187745670 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: from 8.30 to 12.30 Saturday: from 8.30 to 11.00 (telephone information only)