Telecare consists of equipment and services that support your safety and independence in your own home. The equipment can sense risks such as smoke, floods and gas, can remind you to take pills and even call for help if you fall. A help centre can be contacted automatically if any of these problems occur in your home. If needed the help centre can arrange for someone to come to your home or can contact your family, doctor or emergency services. The system can also warn you of problems by sounding an alarm, flashing lights or vibrating a box which can be kept in your pocket or under your pillow.

Telehealth covers the electronic exchange of personal health data from a patient at home to medical staff at hospital or similar site to assist in diagnosis and monitoring. Examples include monitoring and support for people with a heart condition, lung function problems or diabetes.

Environmental Control Systems can enable individuals to operate everyday domestic appliances and mechanisms by remote control from a display panel. Mechanisms that can be operated include door and window openers, electronic curtain rails and blinds. Appliances that can be operated include lamps and lighting, televisions, telephones and heating. Environmental control systems vary considerably in their capabilities. Some only turn one or two devices on and off, others control a range of settings for several devices.