Equipment and changes to your home (adult social care)

Equipment can help people to live more independently in their home so they don't need to get outside support, such as carers.

Equipment may be helpful if you or someone you care for:

• is frail or becoming frail
• is disabled and needs more support around the home
• has an illness or condition that makes everyday tasks more difficult

Equipment is useful with things like: 

• having a bath or shower
• going to the toilet
• walking and getting around your home
• reducing risk of accidents in your home
• eating
• coping with loss of your sight or hearing 

You can also make changes to your home to help you live independently. 

To get equipment or make changes to your home, you will need to request an assessment.

How to get equipment

If you think you may need equipment, you need to be referred by the Let's Talk team or your GP.

For more information on how to get equipment, see request an assessment.

Request support for yourself, a friend or relative

Need to talk to someone for advice about the right support for you, a friend or relative?

Our team of trained advisers is here to help guide you to the right support to help you remain independent.

This could include connecting you to facilities and resources that are available in your community, finding care support services that you can arrange yourself, or accessing care support from the Council if eligible.

Email the team at LetsTalk@southtyneside.gov.uk or call 0191 424 6000.

You can make changes to your home to help with carrying out everyday tasks safely.

This could be as simple as installing a handrail, to make getting in and out of the bath or shower safer.

It could also involve bigger changes, such as making doors wider, so it is easier and safer to move around within the home.

Getting help with the cost of making changes

An Occupational Therapist can arrange changes to your home.

They will tell you who will organise and pay for the work before any changes are made.

If you rent your home from South Tyneside Homes or a housing association, your landlord may be able to help.

You may be able to get a grant towards the cost of making changes to your home. See Disabled Facilities Grant.

Types of equipment 

• Personal care equipment, such as commodes and bathing equipment, which can help to get to the toilet and around the bathroom.
• Mobility equipment, such as walking sticks and walking frames, which can help with getting around both inside and outside.
• Access equipment, including grab rails to help with entering and leaving the home.
• Specialist equipment, such as pressure care mattresses and cushions, which help with comfort and to ease pressure.
• Moving and transferring equipment, such as hoists and slings, to help with lifting and moving a person.
• Chairs and stools, such as rise and recline chairs and perching stools, for more comfortable seating in the home.
• Beds and mattresses, which can help the person with comfort and provide ideal positioning for the carer.
• Bedding equipment, such as bed leavers and bed rails, to help a person feel comfortable getting in and out of bed.
• Assistive Technology, such as alarm pendants and bed sensors, to quickly alert someone if a person has a fall. For more information see assistive technology.

ASK SARA

If you are not sure what equipment you need, you can use the ASKSARA online tool to help you find equipment.

You will be asked to choose from a list of topics or areas you need help in, and answer some questions about your situation.

Based on your answers, ASKSARA will create a personalised report with advice on what products may be helpful.

Visit AskSARA for personalised advice and products

You will need to be assessed before you can get equipment from South Tyneside Council.

The assessment will check if equipment would help you, and if so, what type of equipment would be best for you.

If you or someone you care for would like to be assessed, or if you need to talk to someone about getting equipment, call Let's Talk on 0191 424 6000 or email at LetsTalk@southtyneside.gov.uk.

If you are ringing on behalf of someone else, make sure they are with you when you contact us, as they will need to agree to an assessment.

What happens after an assessment

One of our trained advisors will ask you some questions, and guide you to the right support to help you stay independent at home.

If it is decided that equipment would help you in your home, your details will be passed to an Occupational Therapist, who will contact you to talk about your situation.

For complex equipment, such as a stair-lift, they may need to carry out a home assessment.

For bathing equipment, you may need to go to a bathing assessment.

Other ways of getting equipment

If you need a grab rail, stair / bannister rail or a key-safe installed, you will be referred to Age Concern South Tyneside. They will contact you to arrange installing the equipment.

If you need a walking aid such as a walking stick or frame, contact your GP practice.

There are also many companies that sell equipment, if you would rather buy your own. 

If you or someone you know needs bathing equipment, call the Let's Talk team on 0191 424 6000 or get in touch with your allocated Occupational Therapist.

A home assessment is when an Occupational Therapist visits you at home, to see what equipment or changes could help you to live independently and safely.

You will be asked questions about your situation, and you will be able to show the Occupational Therapist what you need support with.

You will need to be assessed to get an appointment, see how to request an assessment.

What happens at a home assessment

You will receive a call to confirm your appointment details.

Assessments usually take at least an hour.

You can bring a friend or relative with you. This might help if you are not confident explaining your situation.

At the end of the assessment, you will be told what equipment or changes to your home you will need.

The Occupational Therapist will let you know what will happen next. They will order equipment and arrange any changes to your home.

Cancelling or changing your appointment

If you need to cancel your assessment, please call Let's Talk on 0191 424 6000 to let them know as soon as you can.

After an assessment, if it is decided that you need equipment, either South Tyneside Council or Age Concern will provide it for you.

You can also buy your own equipment.  

South Tyneside Council

Most equipment is loaned by South Tyneside Council, through the Living Better Lives Resource Centre.

The centre will deliver new equipment, collect old equipment from your home and collect broken equipment to repair. For more information, see the Living Better Lives Resource Centre.

South Tyneside Council doesn't provide wheelchairs. For a list of companies that hire out wheelchairs, see care services for adults.

If you need a walking aid such as a walking stick, contact your GP.

Age Concern

Age Concern can provide some equipment such as grab rails and bannister / stair rails.

They can also provide key safes so care workers, family or emergency services can get into your home if you can't get to the door.

Age Concern will arrange this for you.

Buying your own equipment

There are many companies that sell equipment, if you would rather buy your own, including:

• Argos
• Amazon
• Living Made Easy
• NRS Healthcare
• Complete care shop

For more services who sell / hire equipment, see Care services for adults: equipment and alarms.