You may have trouble getting around your house because of physical disabilities caused by a long-term illness or old age.

With the right support and equipment, you can become more active and independent at home.

We have equipment designed to help you with tasks you find difficult, such as using stairs, washing, dressing and using the toilet or getting in or out of a chair.

Find out your needs

When you first get in touch, we may assess your needs over the telephone and give you advice and information. If you qualify, we visit you at home to talk about how we can help. You can involve a family member or friend, if you wish.

What we do

Our occupational therapy staff assess the difficulties you have and suggest safer and more effective ways of doing everyday tasks for you and the people who help you. We advise on equipment to buy to help you at home with tasks such as preparing a meal or personal care. We can also loan essential equipment to help with day-to-day living.

Examples of equipment we can offer:

• special cutlery
• raised toilet seat
• cooking aids
• chair or bed raisers
• bathing or showering aids
• specialist chairs or beds

We also advise on emergency contact systems (Telecare), such as personal alarms, sensors and monitoring devices.

You can apply for major changes if you are an owner-occupier or live-in housing association or privately rented accommodation. We can also recommend minor changes if you’re our tenant.

Cost of equipment

You do not have to pay for the assessment of your needs or advice and information to help you with day-to-day living.

If your needs qualify, you do not have to pay for essential equipment or minor adaptations to your home.

If the changes to your home cost more than £1,000, you can apply for a means-tested Disabled facilities grant (DFG) to help pay for them, you may have to pay towards the cost.

If you live in a council-owned property, grants and means-testing are not needed.

Where you can get the equipment you need

Our service directory includes a list of suppliers of equipment that can you help with every day living.

We help provide highly specialist equipment or techniques for nursing homes. If you need equipment for your own home contact your GP or District Nurse. They can help with the following:

• walking aids
• walking sticks
• crutches
• walking frames
• rehabilitation exercises wheelchairs (ask your GP for a referral to the Wheelchair Service)
• mobility scooters (contact with independent suppliers or looking online for a second-hand scooter)
• medical aids
• pressure cushions and mattresses
• home oxygen equipment to manage poor circulation
• continence advice and equipment

If you want to buy your own equipment, or pay for an occupational therapist to do an assessment in your home, the Safe and Well website is a service provided by NRS Healthcare where you can get support to help you choose the best equipment. They can suggest places you can buy it, including where you can buy it.