Cardiff Council’s newest recruit has a wealth of information at their fingertips and they’re on duty 24 hours a day, ready to help the city’s most vulnerable people, families and their carers.
Sara, or AskSARA as it’s known, is a new website designed to provide a one-stop, online self-help tool for citizens, carers and care providers and offers information via a simple series of questions designed to tailor solutions to individual’s specific needs.
To use the tool, you simply log on to the AskSARA website, pick an area of concern and you are then guided through the issues and options available until SARA has compiled a personal report you can use for advice and guidance.
If, for example, you have difficulty using the bathroom, you will be asked questions including:
- Is access a problem?
- Can you summon help if needed?
- Does the bathroom floor often become slippery?
- Does the water become too hot?
After completing the survey online, a personal report is instantly compiled which assesses your needs, offers solutions to any identified problems, including suggested devices that can help support independence.
A council spokesperson said: “Health and social care providers report that when the AskSARA tool is offered as a ‘front door’ triage service it can help residents find solutions for themselves.
“We expect Ask SARA to become a very popular tool for our residents and for those involved in their care. Tablet, phones or laptops at the user’s home or supplied to workers can be used to access the service and it can be used to support good conversations about independent living.”
AskSARA, which will be available in both English and Welsh, can be found at Cardiff Council – AskSARA (livingmadeeasy.org.uk)