Adaptations to your Home
Here are the adaptations we can make to your
home, with the conditions you, or the disabled person you live
with, must meet to apply. We can also do a range of minor
adaptations too, like fitting handrails or grab-rails.
Getting into your home
Ramp
A ramp is suitable for someone who may use a
wheelchair all the time; or you can't go up steps or half-steps, or
if it's very painful or exhausting; or you are a carer who lives at
the property and can't get a wheelchair in and out. A ramp enables
safe access into and out of their home.
Step Lift
A step-lift is for someone who may use a
wheelchair all the time; or they can’t go up steps or half-steps,
but it is impossible to build a ramp to your home. This allows safe
access into and out of their home.
Driveway and/or dropped kerb
A driveway and/or dropped kerbs may be either
created or widened, in cases, where someone who uses a wheelchair
all the time, and finds it difficult to reach the car or get into
it; or your mobility is so restricted that they can't reach the
car.
Getting around your home
Widening doors
Doors will be widened if a persons walking aid
is too wide to get through the doors; or they use a wheelchair all
the time, or most of the time, and they can't get through the
doors, or the doorway is being damaged. This means they can get
around their home easier.
Lifts and Hoists
Stairlift
A stairlift is fitted if you can't safely use
the stairs on your own or it's painful, exhausting, or harmful; and
there are essential services upstairs (like the toilet or
bathroom). We can only do this work if it is practical in your home
and you can get on and off it safely. A through-floor lift may be
recommended if: you use a wheelchair; or have a progressive
condition; or if you have uncontrolled epilepsy; or if there is a
child in the home with multiple impairments.
Through-floor lift
A through floor lift is fitted if you can't use
the stairs safely on your own, or it's painful, exhausting, or
harmful; and there are essential services upstairs (like the toilet
or bathroom). We can only do this work if it is practical in your
home, and you would need help getting on or off a stairlift; or you
have a progressive condition which is likely to make it difficult
to use a stairlift in the future; or you have multiple impairments,
and/or you use a wheelchair all the time.
Track Hoist
A track hoist is fitted if there is not enough
space for a mobile hoist; and it would be the only way to move
independently and safely: and your carer can't move you, or risks
hurting themselves when they do.
Bathroom
The Occupational Therapist will see if
equipment like a bathboard or seat would be suitable before we do
major work. We will talk to you about a range of other things for
example grab rails, the type of shower base, the layout of the
room, the height of controls, screen doors and curtains, special
flooring, ventilation and so on.
Shower over bath
You can apply if: you can get in and out of an
empty bath without help; but you can't get into a bath seat safely,
or it's very painful or exhausting; or you are at risk if you sit
in bath water (because of uncontrolled epilepsy or a skin condition
for instance); or you need a shower because of chronic
incontinence.
Level access shower
You can apply if: it would be painful,
exhausting, or harmful to use a shower over the bath; and a bath
hoist would not be suitable. All level access showers are fitted
with either half height doors and shower curtain or a full length
shower curtain depending on your medical condition. Shower chairs
are provided by the Occupational Therapy Teamat Nottinghamshire
County Council, Queen's Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, Notts
S81 2BZ.
Bath Hoist (fixed)
You can apply if: a shower would be difficult
for you or your carer; and you can't use any other bathing
equipment.
Toilet
Downstairs Toilet
A downstairs toilet may be recommended if you
can't get to the upstairs toilet at all; or your mobility is so
restricted that you can't always get to the toilet in time, and
your condition is being made worse by struggling upstairs; and a
commode or chemical toilet would not be practical.
Upstairs Toilet
You can apply if: you only have a downstairs
toilet; and your medical condition means you need to use the toilet
very often; and you cannot use the stairs safely at night.
Clos-o-mat
You can apply if: you can't maintain personal
hygiene after using the toilet.
Kitchen
If your disability means you are unable to use
your present kitchen, the kitchen adaptations may look at
rearranging or modifying your kitchen layout, for example, lowering
your wall cupboards or work surfaces to enable you to prepare a
meal.
Home extension
An extension will only be considered when all
alternatives have been looked into, for example rehousing or
internal rearrangement of your current living area. We can not put
in an extension to make room for medical equipment or medical
treatment, or because overcrowding means that your home can't be
adapted in the normal way. Extensions are only carried out in
extreme cases and due to increasing building costs we may not be
able to build the facility within our adaptation upper limit.
We will consider an extension if you meet the
conditions for the adaptation, and your current home layout will
not cater for those adaptations internally because there isn't
enough room, or because they are impractical; and the extension
work would be the only long-term solution.
Extra heating
Additional heating when your system is
inadequate, for example only a coal fire no radiators and it
affects your medical condition. Different kind of heating system
may be fitted because you can't use your present system for example
you can't carry solid fuel.