Angus Gold 50+ has a number of health volunteers who are active in their communities. Besides organising and leading walks and seated exercise sessions they are able to encourage their peers to make healthy lifestyle choices and help to find the appropriate information and access services. To keep the health volunteers up-to-date Angus Gold provides a training and information programme.

To keep volunteers abreast of the care system, home care and care management gave a presentation on the 'Journey to Care' which we have followed up with a visit to the Technology Training Flat. This informative tour, given by Glenda Masson, Community Alarm Service Co-ordinator, provided an insight into the many aids and adaptations available to keep people independent and, when necessary, be cared for at home.

Some of the equipment, such as hoists and alarms, is designed to make the work of carers, professional and unpaid, easier and safer for the person being cared for. Many of the small aids like the teapot-tipper and easy grip cutlery enable people to carry out simple everyday tasks for themselves.

Although some of us were aware of these aids, it was the new technology equipment that had us fascinated. The 'Possum', enabling - for example- curtains, windows and doors to be opened and closed using a touch screen or a remote control; the sensing pads under mattresses which switch on lights when the person gets out of bed or raises the alarm when someone is having a seisure; the recorded voice at the door to encourage people not to wander - are just some examples of what is available to help promote independence and enable people to live more safely at home.

The latest hi tech equipment was the connection to community alarm via the television. The client can be seen, via a webcam, by the community alarm operator who is seen by the client on their television screen. This widens the ability of community alarm to monitor situations and will be eventually linked to the tele-care health systems enabling health staff to carry out a number of health checks from a distance.

The visit proved to be very helpful in widening the volunteers knowledge about what aids are available and how committed the services in Angus are to providing care that enables people to remain at home.