Digital Upgrade Future Proofs Historic Salisbury Almshouses

Summary

Chose SmartConnect for those needing immediate upgrade and SmartBridge for those earmarked for future upgrades.

Residents happy with the new digital systems put in place.

Appello's solution allows a staggered upgrade approach.

About the company

Salisbury City Almshouse and Welfare Charities have a long history of caring for elderly people within the Salisbury area, reaching back to the 14^th Century. They manage 12 sites in and around Salisbury, offering sheltered and very sheltered accommodation in modernised almshouses. These enable residents to continue to live independently, with common rooms for communal activities and most sites offering a resident warden.

The challenge

With nearly 200 almshouses across twelve sites, Salisbury City Almshouse and Welfare Charities wanted to upgrade legacy analogue telecare equipment to ensure the ongoing safety of their residents ahead of the digital switchover. Some of this equipment dated back 25 years and the original systems had been extended with a patchwork of add-on and replacement parts during that time. As a charity, they wanted to be confident they were investing in the right digital solution, which needed to be cost effective while also lasting many years to come.

Key facts

1

Impressed with Appello’s solution as this allowed them to stagger their digital upgrade, offering value for money as well as longevity.

2

Chose SmartConnect digital warden call for sites needing an immediate upgrade and SmartBridge analogue to digital converter for those earmarked for future refurbishment.

3

Everyone happy with the new systems. They have found the telecare units to be neater and more user friendly, with the online management system a better tool for staff.

“We were impressed with Appello's quotations. We were looking for the absolute best value for money but, at the same time, we wanted something that will take us through the next twenty years and accommodate digital requirements.”

Liz Hatchett

Deputy Clerk to the trustees at Salisbury City Almshouse and Welfare Charities

The solution

Salisbury City Almshouse and Welfare Charities needed to move forward with the upgrades earlier than planned as Salisbury had been designated as one of BT/Openreach's two flagship migrations to fully digital services. They secured quotes from several manufacturers as they wanted to explore what options were available aside from their previous telecare provider.

They were already familiar with Appello, who had operated their Careline alarm receiving centre since 2016. It made sense to bring both their telecare and monitoring services together. They were also impressed with Appello's approach to the upgrade, which offered a much simpler solution than those suggested by other providers.

As a charitable organisation, it was important to undertake careful due diligence to ensure Appello could meet their requirements. They met with the team to go through the quotation in detail. This gave them the confidence that Appello offered the best value for money, as well as future-proof systems that would accommodate the demands of digital now and over the coming years.

The results

Salisbury City Almshouse and Welfare Charities opted for a number of Appello's digital telecare products aligned to the needs of their various properties:

SmartConnect, Appello's practical and cost effective digital warden call system, was selected for the majority of the almshouses.
SmartBridge analogue to digital (A2D) converter was chosen as an interim solution for sites not yet scheduled for a full refurbishment.
SmartLife, Appello's flexible digital dispersed alarm, was selected for a small property without a warden on site.

They were impressed with how quickly they could install SmartLife and this has been well-received on site. They are now working through the installation of the digital warden call system, SmartConnect. With one site complete so far, this has had positive feedback from residents and staff. In particular, they have found the alarm hubs to be more streamlined and user friendly than their previous devices. Staff also appreciate the flexibility of the online management platform.

SmartBridge A2D converters are being rolled out across the remaining analogue sites. This will enable them to maintain the safety and continuity of their services as the digital switchover progresses.

“I would recommend Appello – they are a good team and they have integrity. They have been very helpful with their explanations during the digital switchover and are up there as a key provider. Most importantly, they have all the right equipment to meet the requirements of digital.”
Liz Hatchett, Deputy Clerk to the trustees at Salisbury City Almshouse and Welfare Charities

Benefits of Appello's Digital Telecare Solutions

1

Choice of digital telecare solutions to meet your needs

Including two digital warden call systems for group living schemes, a ground-breaking digital dispersed alarm for individual homes and an analogue to digital converter to bridge the digital transition.

2

End to end digital for safer services

Designed for the digital network, enabling almost instant, reliable communication. Our digital warden call systems allow simultaneous call handling for effective emergency responses. Proactive system health checks reduce downtime.

3

Flexible and future proof

Robust digital infrastructure that can adapt to your evolving requirements, providing a long-term investment. Compatibility with a wide range of telecare devices avoids costly replacements and enables integrated services.

4

Puts your residents in control

Digital warden call lets residents manage the support they receive. Features such as an I'm OK function promote independence, with the peace of mind that help is available when needed.

5

Improved staff efficiency and insight

Staff can carry out day-to-day tasks remotely and access detailed reporting with Appello’s online management platform, whether dealing with multiple properties or devices across individuals’ homes.

6

Excellence ensured

With over 35 years' experience, Appello leads the way with digital telecare. Our digital warden call solutions are proven within hundreds of group living schemes across the UK.

Warden Call Systems Housing Management

Safety First for Citizen with Digital Warden Call Upgrade

Appello was the top choice following a suppliers' day in conjunction with the TSA, which compared the offerings of a number of telecare suppliers.

Read the full story

A2D Converter Housing Management

Keeping Housing 21 residents safe with SmartBridge analogue to...

Housing 21 chose SmartBridge as the 'strong option' for achieving digital compatibility with legacy emergency call systems.

Read the full story

>Keeping Housing 21 residents safe with SmartBridge analogue to digital converter

Monitoring Services Housing Management

Complete Confidence and Control – What Careline Means for Southway...

Selected Appello Careline as the market leader with a great reputation, following a number of problems with their previous monitoring service.

Read the full story

>Complete Confidence and Control – What Careline Means for Southway Housing

Success Stories | SmartConnect and SmartBridge