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Equipment and changes to your home

Where we can, we will aim to support you to stay in your own home and live independently.

If you need help with simple tasks around the home, there are a range of useful gadgets, adaptations and equipment that can help you.

Safe and Well can help you to find the equipment you need. You'll get tips, advice and guidance on the equipment that is available to you. This could include help:

  • around your home, if you're having difficulty with your stairs, using the bathroom or getting in and out of bed
  • to prepare meals
  • when you're out and about, including shopping, driving or using public transport.

Visit Safe and Well

Adaptations and changes to your home

If you need more specialised equipment and adaptations, the first step is to get in touch with your:

  • occupational therapist
  • qualified assessor
  • physiotherapist
  • social worker.

They can request equipment and installation for you or for the person who needs it. If you do not know their telephone number contact 03000 41 61 61.

We look at everyone’s situation individually by giving you a care needs assessment (also known as a community care assessment) and will tell you what we can do to help you adapt your home. Our technicians also work with occupational therapists where necessary to make sure any adaptations are suitable for you.

Some adaptations you may need to pay for, whilst some are free, for example:

  • adapted steps
  • grab rails
  • stair rails.

If your home needs a lot of work, such as changing the entire layout of a room or changing the use of a room (for example, changing a spare room into a bathroom), then you will need to pay for it. There are sometimes national grants you may be eligible for to help with making changes like these.

If you're not eligible for social care, Safe and Well is a service provided by NRS Healthcare to find out about getting equipment. The service includes:

  • free online self-assessment
  • free local demonstration
  • free telephone advice
  • occupational therapist visits (fee charged)
  • directory of trusted local suppliers.

Go to the Safe and Well website

If something breaks or stops working properly, look for a label on the equipment with contact details to report your problem.

Contact details are also on the paperwork delivered with the equipment. If you can't find a contact number, check who to contact.

Our equipment is on loan to you, so when you don't need it anymore, it has to be returned.

Look for a label on the equipment or check on the paperwork delivered with the equipment. If you can't find a contact number, check who to contact.

If the equipment has been fixed to the floor or wall it is the homeowner's responsibility to remove items before collection. If you can't do this yourself, the Age UK handyman scheme may be able to help. Check with your local Age UK Service.

If there is no label on your equipment, these are the organisations to contact to arrange collection or repairs.

For equipment including beds, hoists, bathing equipment, walking sticks, zimmer frames, commodes and Telehealth:

For Technology Enhanced Lives equipment (formerly known as Telecare or Technology Enabled Care):

For wheelchairs and incontinence pads, contact your GP or district nurse.

If your equipment is not doing everything you need it to, you will need another care needs assessment to see if:

  • you need different equipment
  • you need something done to adapt your current equipment to your new needs.

If you wish to raise a complaint about your equipment, you must speak to your equipment provider in the first instance.

If your complaint cannot be resolved by the equipment provider please contact our adult social care complaints team.