Home adaptations

6. To avoid falls at home, you should ensure you mop up spillages and remove clutter, trailing wires and frayed carpet. Use non-slip mats and rugs. 7. If possible, keep items within easy reach to avoid climbing, bending and stretching. 8. Ensure your shoes and slippers fit well and have your toenails cut regularly. 9. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause you to feel sleepy and unsteady on your feet. 10. Keep active. Doing regular strength and balance exercises can reduce your risk of having a fall.

This can take the form of simple activities, such as walking and dancing, or specialist training programmes (see ‘staying active’ section on page 12). 11. Consider buying some simple equipment or making some minor adaptations to your home (see the ‘Home adaptations’ section below for more information).

Stoke-on-Trent

Revival will carry out home hazard checks to reduce the chance of falls in your home. A trained assessor will visit your home to check for hazards like loose stair carpets, unsafe rugs or mats and will also look at cooking and bathing safety. These checks are free, but you will need to pay for any materials.

Tel: 0333 014 3389 Email: hello@thisisrevival.org.uk Web: www.thisisrevival.org.uk

Age UK Staffordshire runs an Ageing Well Programme for men and women aged over 50 in Tel: 01785 788477 Email: info@ageukstaffordshire.org.uk Web: www.ageuk.org.uk/staffordshire

The Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust runs a Falls Prevention Service. The Specialist Falls Team, covering North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, helps those who have already fallen, may fall or who are at risk of serious injury, such as broken bones.

The Falls Prevention Team, covering South Staffordshire, is available for people over 65 and aims to increase awareness and prevent falls for those at risk of falling or who are at risk of serious injury, such as broken bones.

North Falls Service Burslem Health Centre

Chapel Lane ST6 2AB Tel: 0300 123 0995 (ext. 4422).

South Falls Service Salter Meadow Health Centre

Rugeley Road, Burntwood WS7 1AQ Tel: 01543 492490 Email: southfallsteam@nhs.net

Staffordshire

Use the link below to access the Staffordshire County Council Home Safety Checklist. Web: www.staffordshire.gov.uk (search ‘home safety checklist’).

By law, minor adaptations costing £1,000 or less must be paid for by the Council if you have eligible needs. For changes costing more than £1,000, a financial assessment might be carried out to see what you can afford to pay towards the cost. In most cases, making simple changes to your home can help make life easier. Equipment can help you to remain independent and keep you safe. See examples of simple adaptations you can make beginning on page 21.

Adaptations to Council housing

Stoke-on-Trent City Council can provide adaptions for tenants with a disability who live in Council housing (tenants living in other types of housing may be eligible for assistance through Disabled Facilities Grants – see page 19).

Requests for aids and adaptations can be considered if you, your partner or a member of your immediate family is the tenant and is a permanent resident in the household. A person is regarded as being disabled if they have a physical, sensory or mental impairment, which has a substantial and longterm effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities within their home.

You must be referred to the Social Care Occupational Therapy Service (SCOTS) for an assessment (see page 7 to ascertain if/what aids or adaptations are required). An occupational therapist will carry out an assessment to determine if adaptations to the property are required.

If major adaptations are required, the case will be referred to the Housing Assistance and Adaptations Team (HAAT).

Examples of minor adaptations include grab rails, handrails and small ramps. Examples of major adaptations include level access showers, stair lifts, through floor lifts, ramps and hoists.

Please note, there are some exclusions to this service. Use the following contact details for more information.

Social Care Occupational Therapy Service (SCOTS)

Tel: 0800 561 0015 Email: scots@stoke.gov.uk

Housing Assistance and Adaptations Team (HAAT)

Tel: 01782 232008 Email: council.adapts@stoke.gov.uk

Adaptations through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)

Disabled Facilities Grants are available from the Council to help provide disabled people with equipment or adaptations to enable them to live independently, or to be cared for at home. The grant can fund adaptations to the home, such as ramps, stair lifts, level access showers or any other adaptations which help with access into and around the home.

An application for a grant involves an assessment of needs by an occupational therapist from the Social Care Occupational Therapy Service (SCOTS) and a financial assessment (see page 8). However, grants for disabled children under 19 are not subject to means-testing.

For more information, refer to the following contact details.

Tel: 0800 561 0015 Email: scots@stoke.gov.uk

Buying or loaning your own equipment

Before you buy or loan any equipment, the Council recommends getting independent advice to make sure you are getting the items that best meet your needs. The organisations listed below can help you. Also, refer to the assistive technology checklist on page 20 for useful questions to consider when buying or loaning equipment.

The Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) has a range of factsheets at www.dlf.org.uk giving general advice on a range of equipment. If you prefer, you can call the DLF helpline on 0300 999 0004.

You can also get information and advice from AskSARA, provided by the DLF. The website has links to a wide range of local services. Visit

https://asksara.livingmadeeasy.org.uk

The NHS website provides a useful guide to care equipment, aids and adaptations at www.nhs.uk (search ‘household gadgets and equipment to make life easier’).

Money Helper has further advice about how and where to shop for the most suitable products at the cheapest price. Visit www.moneyhelper.org.uk

Where can I buy or loan equipment?

The Council cannot recommend certain providers but does recommend shopping around to find items of good quality and price. It is also worth making sure the company you loan or purchase equipment from has a good returns policy, in case the items you buy are not right for you.

• online – Nottingham Rehab Supplies (www.nrshealthcare.co.uk ) and Medequip (www.manageathome.co.uk ) are websites where you can buy equipment online; and

• on the high street – most large equipment retailers have local shops where you can see the products and test them before buying. Search online to find local shops near you.

Staffordshire

Residents can use the online equipment and living aids catalogue (available via www.staffordshireconnects. info ) to search for products that can help maintain or regain independence. From bath lifts to walking aids and gadgets to help with everyday tasks, the catalogue is packed full of hundreds of products.