The Rand Aid Association has launched a 24-hour call centre, giving residents the peace of mind that comes with knowing help is only the push of a button away.
Previously an outsourced function, Rand Aid’s CEO Rae Brown took the decision to establish an in-house call centre.
All 911 units at the various Rand Aid retirement villages are linked to the call centre, either via an optional Telkom Assist-A-Call handset, which allows the user to push a large button to access the call centre; or via their pre-programmed cellphones. Residents also have panic buttons which are linked to the call centre.
Rand Aid technician, Mr Hennie Mostert, explained that the system has back-up upon back-up. “It has three landlines, one of which is connected to the private, automatic branch exchange, and two wireless phones powered by Vodacom and Neotel respectively, so we are never offline. Residents’ phones are loaded with four numbers, and if one fails to connect, the next is automatically activated,” he said.
“Residents’ information, including their name, address and medical details are programmed into the system and come up when a call is made from their phone to the call centre,” said Rand Aid nursing services manager, Matron Avril Maltman.
“So even if they are unable to speak, help will be promptly dispatched. The operator who accesses the call will activate the appropriate respondent and a protocol is followed whereby the incident is activated, followed through and signed off,” she said.
Village, or call sisters, are the first respondents and if needed, they will notify an ambulance service to assist as well as contact family members. The facility is based at Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre, which is set in the Lyndhurst grounds of Elphin Lodge. It is staffed by five call centre operators who are assisted by various support staff. All call centre operators undergo intensive training.
“With tracking and traceability, we are able to regularly ascertain the need for additional, targeted training, thus ensuring the continued excellence of the service,” said Matron Maltman.
The call centre is also used in cases of maintenance emergencies, with maintenance staff on 24-hour call so residents do not have to tackle pressing problems like burst water pipes on their own.
“There are many retirement villages that perhaps do not have this level of emergency response available to residents, and Rand Aid’s call centre has the scope to extend this service to complexes anywhere in the country,” said Matron Maltman.
Recently, Quondam Village, a 46-cottage retirement complex in Bedfordview, became the first non-Rand Aid village to be supported by the service.
For more information, call Zabeth Zühlsdorff on 011 882-2510.
