Equipment and Adaptations to your home

If you are older or have a disability you may have difficulty in carrying out routine tasks or getting around your home. There are lot of practical measures available which may help improve your situation and help you retain your independence. These include:

• Equipment

There are many items of equipment which help you stay mobile and help you carry out day-to-day tasks - like raisers which can help you get in and out of a chair or bed on your own, raised toilet seats, flashing doorbells or vibrating alarm clocks etc.

• Emergency Alarms and Telecare

This includes a range of alarms and sensors that are linked, via your phone line, to a monitoring centre. If you need help or something unusal occurs the monitoring centre will ensure you get the help you need. Telecare sensors monitor a wide range of environmental conditions (smoke, temperature, gas leaks, flooding etc.) or medical conditions (falls or epilepsy).

There are also many 'stand alone' alarm systems to monitor things like movement and door opening in the home which are particulalry helpful to carers looking after someone requiring constant care or supervision - see Emergency Alarms and Telecare in Related Information above for more details

• Adaptations to your home

If you have difficulty getting in and around your home you may be able to have small adaptations like grab rails installed or, if your disabilities are more severe, you may be able to get a Disabled Facilities Grant to help pay for major adaptations to your home. This could include things like lowering light switches/raising sockets, widening doorways to enable wheelchair access, installing a stairlift or downstairs bathroom, wheelchair ramps to help you get in and out of your home - see Disabled Facilities Grants in Related Information above for more details