Vital Lifeline for vulnerable residents operating all year round
Wed 19th December 2018
With Christmas almost upon us many people are looking ahead to spending time with their loved ones but one dedicated team of council staff will be working around the clock seven days a week – including Christmas Day – to ensure the safety of vulnerable residents.
For thousands of people in the East Riding the Lifeline service is just that, a lifeline, providing reassurance and, if needs be, an emergency response 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
John Skidmore, director of adults, health and customer services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The volume of calls that lifeline has dealt with over the past year just demonstrates how vital a service it is for the more vulnerable residents of the East Riding.
“It is an important service for everyone who uses it with staff literally working around the clock, regardless of the time of year, to ensure the safety of those who need it the most.”
The Lifeline service consists of a range of sensors that are placed in a person’s home to support independent living.
They are linked to the monitoring centre which is manned by trained operators who are ready to take the most appropriate action should someone trigger a sensor or press the red button on their home or personal lifeline system.
This action could be contacting a family member, neighbour, doctor, Lifeline responder or the emergency services.
The service is available to any vulnerable person of any age who is in need of added help and reassurance to continue living independently.
This could include a disabled person, people who have been discharged from hospital, people at risk of domestic violence, racial harassment, repeat victimisation or distraction burglary.
The service can also give carers a respite by for example taking away the need for those all important ‘just in case’ checks which are instead carried out by the Lifeline system.
For further information about Lifeline call (01377) 256264, email lifeline@eastriding.gov.uk or visit www.eastriding.gov.uk
Photo caption: Joanne Rosser, Lifeline manager, with some of the equipment available at Lifeline.
