A Surrey County Council initiative to help people with dementia continue living in their own homes has received the backing of the Alzheimer’s Society and the Surrey Coalition for Disabled People.

The telecare system, which cost £50,000 and will initially help 100 people, uses a range a range of sensors in the home to monitor a person’s wellbeing.

Every sensor is linked to a unit, which can send an emergency call through to a monitoring centre that is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Trained operators assess the situation and arrange help if necessary. This could mean contacting the emergency services or a nominated relative, friend or neighbour.

Anna Sartori, a director at the Surrey Coalition for Disabled People, said: “This is a great project, offering the chance for people to remain in their own homes and to stay secure and supported for far longer than is currently possible.

“This will give peace of mind to families and loved ones and will allow more people in Surrey to be helped by reducing care costs.”