KARA Carephone - video transcript

[Caption] Alcove Kara Carephone

Sitting in her living room in Broadstairs is Ruth Grigg, a KARA Carephone user.

Ruth: I’m Ruth Grigg, and I’ve lived in Broadstairs since 1960. So I had the tablet brought to me at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. At first I didn’t know whether I was going to be able to be comfortable with it, but then I find it such a help. I can keep in touch with people and I can actually see them and feel as though I’m really there in their homes as well, and that they’re with me.

Ruth uses the Carephone to video chat with her daughter.

Ruth: Because of not being able to actually go and see either daughter and them not being able to come and see me, it has been so important that I’ve been able to really feel they’re there, and that we’re there for each other, which is really a great help. When we’re talking, she gets her cup and I get my cup of tea. And so I keep that beside me so that we’re having our cup of tea together.

Ruth talks to the camera about her experience of the Carephone.

Ruth: It’s like getting a hug off my family. It is very easy, but it’s not like going on the computer, where you’ve got to start trying to put in something. And yes, I have talked about it to other people and said, what a help it has been to me and I think some of them would benefit as well. So when I had this, when I was first offered this, I sort of thought that it’s another thing that’s going to benefit me, in that sense, I’m fortunate that I am linked up with Kent County Council, with my carers and other things that I have. Yes, I would recommend the Carephone, because you can have the two way rather than just talking to someone on the phone or on a mobile. And also, you feel as though you’re getting a reaction back from the person you’re actually seeing and talking to. You can see a lot from people’s expression and so on. You can see what effect it’s having on people. I’d certainly recommend it to any family, you know, that makes you feel in touch with your own family much more than you would be, perhaps even otherwise.

In a care home in Deal, Erica Colegate a Carephone User and Deborah Crossley, a Carer, discuss using the Kara Carephone.

Deborah describes how Erica uses the device.

Deborah: So before lockdown, Erica would go out to the day centre, mix with her friends, they would go out on day trips and do in-house activities, at Walmer day centre. Then we had the lockdown and without the phone, the Carephone, that would have stopped: She wouldn’t have had the same interaction, with any of these people apart from possibly using the normal hand phone, which she needed staff to help with and also with the day centre. Where they’ve been doing activities with groups, it’s kept all those friendships going during lockdown which that wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t had the [care] phone. I personally think that, even though I don’t use it, I think it’s a brilliant idea for the likes of Erica or anybody, really. It might be that they feel isolated. They live on their own in a house, and they feel isolated, so by having that, they’ve got that outside community, so they’re not going to be isolated, and that’s good for their mental health.

We see Erica use the Carephone to speak to her friends.

Deborah: Yeah, for Erica’s self-esteem, it’s something that she can do on her own, she doesn’t have to rely on anybody to help, so it’s good for her self-esteem and her independence. She’s grown, even though during the pandemic, a lot of things were stopped, with the [care]phone, she seems to flourished and she’s got that bit more independence, which is a really positive thing. If she hadn’t had the Carephone, her mental health, I believe would have possibly been affected. Whereas, with the Carephone, like we’ve discussed, she’s had the independence, been able to keep in contact with her close friends and family. For anybody, it is important to have relationships and keep relationships going. Because of the easiness of it, just press one button, you get put through to whoever it is. Isn’t it Erica?

Erica smiles and agrees.

Erica: Yeah.

Deborah (to Erica):You don’t need staff to help, do you?

Erica (smiling): No.

Deborah continues.

Deborah: She can just go and do it herself.

[Caption] A Kent County Council project in partnership with Alcove.