Mother see benefits of social care tech after fall

When it comes to technology helping with social care, Diane Vukmirovic is clear in her mind - without it, she "wouldn't be going out as much as I do".

The 75-year-old had a fall in her garden, breaking her wrist and had extra equipment added to her Wolverhampton home a year ago.

Movement sensors check how long she has been outside, a tablet lets her get online, video care calls are carried out to check on her and she has a button alert pendant.

"I'm aware of the balance problem and I take care of myself," she said.

"But if I do forget and do something silly and go over, I know that I can get somebody to help me immediately."

Vukmirovic said the measures were "good for families", because her sons were busy.

Without them, she admitted: "I would be sitting here thinking 'I'll do that in a minute' because I don't really want to move or 'can I do that because am I safe if I go out in the garden?'"

One of her sons was in her house but "he's gonna be out for seven or eight hours today".

"So I'm alone, but now I'm not alone," the 75-year-old said. "I know that I can get them, I know that I can get help if anything happens to me."

"I can see how it can be used for people to not only contact me, but... what I want them to develop is the face-to-face.

"Somebody could check on me in the morning..... and for me, that will enable me to stay in my home, which is where I want to be.

"But it also will save some of the care staff having to come in for these little calls to make sure that Di's alright."

Vukmirovic said having people come to her house when she could be really unable to move "is important".

But she added: "For me at the moment if I was off my feet for any reason, I wouldn't want that".

"I would want just somebody [to] be able to contact me and say 'Di, are you alright?'"

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