Adaptations and equipment for the home

There is a wide range of advice and practical suggestions, equipment and adaptations that can help you go on living independently at home.

If you are finding it hard to manage in your current house or flat, you may want to consider adapting it to suit your needs.

Who can help with adaptations to your home

Occupational Therapy

You can get information, advice and help on all aspects of making alterations to your home from Occupational Therapists, who can carry out an assessment of what you can and can’t do. Contact OT Direct to arrange a meeting.

Local Housing Authority

Your Local council housing department can provide Disabled Facilities Grants to pay, or help pay, for alterations. Grants are means-tested and people also have to meet the medical criteria which apply. These include an occupational therapy assessment to support the request for a grant.

Home Improvement Agency (HIA)

Your local Home Improvement Agency (HIA) also known as In Touch. The staff at your local HIA can help you with your application for the Disabled Facilities Grant. If you do not qualify for a grant, HIA staff can suggest other means of funding the work.

Moving and handling people

Mobility problems can be dealt with by both physiotherapists and occupational therapists and there is often confusion as to who provides what.

Contact your GP surgery and ask for an appointment with a physiotherapist if the person you are caring for has difficulty walking and/or managing steps and stairs and you feel they would benefit from an assessment for a walking frame or other mobility equipment.  A physiotherapist may suggest an exercise programme to improve walking and/or provide a walking aid.

Contact Adult Services OT Direct and ask for Occupational Therapy advice in the following situations:

• If difficulty getting around at home is primarily due to the home environment, that is the construction of steps and stairs, narrow doorways, lack of space, then an OT may be able to help by recommending equipment or adaptations.

• If the person you are caring for has difficulty managing everyday activities like getting in and out of bed, on and off a chair or the toilet, an OT can offer advice on equipment, adaptations and may suggest alternative ways of doing things.

• If you are struggling to cope generally for whatever reason, there is risk of injury, and you need help to manage, then an OT can carry out an urgent moving and handling assessment and discuss options with you.

Equipment for the home

Our Equipment for the home pages have more information on a variety of equipment ranging from large installations like stairlifts, to smaller items such as rails to help you in the bathroom, to specialised kitchen utensils.