Home Adaptations
An ‘adaptation’ is an alternation to your home which will enable you to access essential facilities for your daily living needs.
The adaptations you may need will vary depending on your level of amputation, your pre-existing medical condition, if you have one and your age. Your occupational therapist and social worker, if you have one will make recommendations on what adaptations you may need.
This may be:
- A stairlift to take you upstairs to your bathroom/toilet if situated upstairs.
- Replacing your bath with a shower when you unable to carry out personal care tasks.
- A ramp to enable you to get in/out of your home.
- An extension to your property when there is no alternative means of providing access to essential facilities.
- A rail by your toilet to assist you.
- A banister rail to help you get up and down your stairs safely.
The Occupational Therapist will carry out an assessment of your needs
The Occupational Therapist will talk you and observe the ways in which your disability affects your daily life.
- With your permission she/he will need to contact your doctor (or other professional who knows you, like the Physiotherapist or district nurse) to find out how your disability will affect you in the future.
- The Occupational Therapist will then discuss with you the ways in which your problems may be overcome.
- An assessment form will be completed detailing all this information with your comments which you will be asked to sign to confirm your agreement to the conclusion of the assessment.
- A copy of the agreement will be given to you if you would like one. All information is dealt with in the strictest confidence and will not be given to anyone without your permission.
- As part of the assessment the Occupational Therapist may arrange for an architect or surveyor to visit your home. To find out whether alterations can be carried out or not and ways in which this may be done.
What help is available next
When it has been decided that an adaptation to your home is the best way to help you, several people will be involved in deciding with your what you need.
The Occupational Therapist who will be the key person for you to contact. The Occupational Therapist will offer professional advice and ensure that the adaptation recommended is necessary and appropriate for your needs.
The Private Sector Housing Officer from the Housing Services Division is responsible for ensuring that the adaptation is reasonable and practical depending on the age and condition of the property.
- Who pays for it
There is no charge to you for the Occupational Therapist to assess your situation, but the alternations can be costly to us, so you need to be clear about your intentions before we start. There are 3 sources of funding for your adaptation: - A Disabled Facilities Grant.
Discretionary Grant from Adult Social Services Commissioning – in some instances you may be considered for a grant from us where the total cost of the adaptation exceeds £25,000, where some items are not eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant or where you have to make a contribution. Your Occupational Therapist will advise you on your individual situation. - Yourself
You will not get a grant if you start work before the Council approves your application. - Applying for Grant Aid
The Occupational Therapist will give you a pack containing the following information:
- An explanatory letter
- A form called ‘Enquiry Form For Grant Aid’.
- A leaflet on Disabled Facilities Grant. - You need to:
- Read the letter and information leaflet
- Complete the ‘Enquiry Form for Grant Aid’ (this is a means tested grant).
- This needs to be sent to Housing Services Division - Your Occupational Therapist will:
- Help you to complete your ‘Enquiry Form for Grant Aid’ if you find it difficult.
- Send a letter to us giving details of the required adaptation and the reasons why it is needed.
- Housing Services will use this information to calculate your eligibility for possible grant aid. - You will then:
Receive a letter from us notifying you of your assessed contribution for the adaptation (in some cases the contribution is greater than the cost of the adaptation, so no grant would be paid in this situation) .
The letter would offer you an appointment for the Grant Officer to visit with the Occupational Therapist to discuss what alterations are required and to see that they are reasonable and practical.
If this is agreed a formal application pack will be sent to you. This will include detailed instructions on how to make the application for a grant, and a checklist of information you will need to submit with the formal application form. - Who owns the work?
The adaptation becomes part of your home. You do not have to repay grants unless you move house within 5 years of completion of the alterations.
You will find more information by clicking on this link: Home Adaptations
