The Epilepsy Project in the Republic of Ireland: Lessons for Digital Homecare

Abstract

Sometimes overlooked from within the range of long term conditions that are being addressed via telecare (care service provision mediated by telecommunications technologies) are the needs of people with epilepsy. This chapter reports on a telecare project (the Epilepsy Project) in the Republic of Ireland that, through the use of bed epilepsy sensors, supported the needs of people with epilepsy and their carers at home. The service developed in the Project is now mainstreamed but operates on a relatively small scale. Positive conclusions were drawn in a comprehensive evaluation of the Project that explored the efficacy of bed epilepsy sensors and the merits of the associated telecare service. The evaluation used a number of tools that built on background research involving personal interviews and a postal survey of people with epilepsy and their carers, case studies and consultations with a range of stakeholders. This chapter sets out some of the issues dealt with in the evaluation and places these in a broader context. Verbatim quotes from service users and carers are included to illustrate some of the findings and the views expressed.