A NEW service aiming to combat loneliness and social isolation by teaching residents how to use new smart technologies in the home has been launched in Torfaen.

The Tech Coach is a free service from Torfaen Social Care, available to older people, carers and people with learning disabilities.

The service is a pilot project funded by the Welsh Government, which aims to maximise the use of technology among the people living in Torfaen.

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The service will be offered as one-to-one support and group sessions and will offer advice/support with identifying technology best suited to the user’s needs, setting up new kit, and using it.

Keith Rutherford, the council's chief officer for social care and housing services said: "The Tech Coach service has been born from the success of a recent pilot project we ran at the beginning of the year, where we allocated smart tech devices to eligible households across the borough.

"The purpose of this was to ensure residents could live more independently within the home environment and at the same time increase their sense of well-being. From feedback we received, the pilot project certainly went a long way in achieving this and we felt it warranted an expansion within the service to allow greater and more targeted take-up.

"An officer will now able to spend more time with residents to discuss ideas and explore options for new smart technologies. The officer will then be able to coach them using the new kit, with the overall aim of improving their confidence and ability to use technology in a way which benefits them.”

For more information call 01495 762200.