AskSARA Warwickshire gives practical advice and information to help ‘make life easier’.
The website is designed to help improve people’s access to a range of self-help devices, equipment, and solutions known as assistive technology.
The easy-to-use website provides advice on clever solutions; ideas to help make daily living easier; and guidance on services in Warwickshire that can support people to make choices about their own health and wellbeing, so they can stay well and independent for as long as possible.
AskSARA features a useful self-assessment tool that can produce an individual report with suggested ideas, information, and advice, based on the answers to some simple, multiple-choice questions.
Suggested gadgets could include automatic pill dispensers and reminder clocks, as well as general equipment such as toilet frames, kitchen trollies and perching stools, based on people’s own personal needs.
The gadgets and solutions suggested by AskSARA, which have already helped many people in the county, can reduce people’s reliance on friends, family, and professional carers and help them to stay well in their own home.
One Warwickshire resident, who had suffered a stroke and lived alone, was left unable to carry out some of his daily activities when he returned home from hospital.
His Social Care Practitioner at Warwickshire County Council said: “The gentleman needed some support to help him to stay safe at home for a few weeks as he became stronger and more able to look after himself.
“He tended to forget when mealtimes were, often forgot to take his medications and to drink regularly to stay hydrated. He also struggled to walk and carry his meals and drinks to and from his kitchen.
“To help him manage at home, he used a reminder clock called a MemRabel. This was set up with gentle prompts to remind him to take his medications and to eat and drink.
“Alongside the MemRabel, he also used a kitchen trolley to transport his meals and drinks to where he wanted.
“The equipment has enabled this gentleman to stay mobile and safely manage these tasks by himself. This has, in turn, helped his wellbeing by keeping him physically and mentally active and giving him a sense of normality, because he can now better manage these tasks by himself.”
Councillor Margaret Bell, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “AskSare is a really helpful and easy to navigate resource which offers everyday solutions to residents so they can manage household tasks which, for a variety of reasons, may be difficult for them.
“It’s for adults of all ages who need a selection of helpful options to make things easier at home. It’s also a great tool for carers, family members and social care workers to understand needs of those they care for and how to meet them.
“There’s an extensive variety of assistive technology out there that is really simple to use, but sometimes people don’t know what exactly it is they need to support themselves or their family members.
“The AskSARA website presents them with the information, advice and guidance that they need.”
Visit the AskSARA Warwickshire website.
More information for adults about health, financial, emotional and community support.