Adult social care
The virtual house helping residents stay safe and independent at home
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If you or someone you know is having difficulties managing daily tasks around the home or with personal care, then a new interactive website feature from Walsall Council could help solve the problem.
This month, Walsall Council has launched a new virtual house featuring the latest sensory, occupational therapy and technology enabled care aids, gadgets and equipment.
Hosted on the council website, the virtual house includes an interactive 3D tour and highlights the different kinds of useful aids and equipment that are available to help residents say safe and remain living independently at home.
“ This is a valuable resource tool for our residents. From the comfort of their own homes, people can take a virtual tour and learn about all the different useful gadgets that can help them keep well and live as independently as possible in their own homes. “
The virtual house tour can be accessed 24/7 from the council’s website at: https://www.walsall.gov.uk/virtualhousetour
Viewers can tour the virtual house and see care aids, gadgets and equipment in place and how they can fit into a standard home setting. Throughout the house, each piece of equipment is labelled and marked with a ‘hotspot’. When selected, this opens to give more information about the item with a description of what it does. This means that the person can then evaluate whether it meets their needs.
The virtual house includes a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living room, and features a wide variety of equipment from pager systems, pillow lifts, pressure-relieving equipment, shower stools, bath lifts, one cup kettles, talking kitchens scales, to minor adaptations such as grab rails, stair rails and ramps.
Information about how to obtain or buy equipment is also available. Residents may be eligible for help to make adjustments to their home and information about how to find out more about the funding available to adapt your home if you have a disability can be found at:
This technology has been developed by Matterport, a leading spatial data company that provides a platform to capture, store, share and experience 3D images and models.
Screenshots of the virtual house are available on request - please contact communications@walsall.gov.uk
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