Council scraps home visits for elderly in favour of Skype

A council in Essex has come under fire for scrapping face-to-face visits to elderly people in favour of video chats over Skype.

In a trial funded by the NHS and the Local Government Association, Essex County Council is giving 40 pensioners a Samsung Galaxy tablet each so they can talk to carers online.

John Spence from the council said it will let vulnerable adults live independently, giving them “something that is accessible from the comfort of their own homes”.

But charities have criticised the trial. Cliff Rich, head of Contact the Elderly ( www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk), said that while technology helps older people stay in touch with family and friends, “nothing can replace the essential human need for face-to-face interaction”.

Leading doctors are also sceptical. Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “What these patients need is someone to listen to them and to find purpose in life”. She added that loneliness is often their main problem, not any medical condition.

Around 1.1 million over-65s are thought to be chronically lonely in the UK. They are more likely to develop heart disease, depression and dementia.

A spokesman for Essex County Council insisted that the trial is not intended to replace carers, but will “improve care which is already in place”.

He added: “The people taking part in the pilot have been carefully selected on the basis of their medical and care needs to make sure that using digital technology to keep in touch with health professionals is a good fit for them”.

Councils are increasingly looking at how they can use technology to provide affordable social care. Hampshire County Council, for example, plans to give 50 pensioners an Amazon Echo speaker so they can receive reminders about taking medication and visits from carers (see News, Issue 510, page 8).