Adapting your home
If buying equipment isn’t enough you may need to make an adaptation to your home. An adaptation can make it easier to do everyday tasks, including:
- widening doorways to allow for wheelchair access.
- replacing your bath or shower unit with a level-access shower.
- adding a downstairs toilet so you don't have to go upstairs.
- lowering the height of kitchen surfaces.
For many of these problems there may also be a simpler or cheaper solution using equipment. For example using a commode during the day can also avoid you have to use the stairs to go to the toilet. There are more suggestions in our pages on equipment and Technology Enabled Care.
Equipment solutions for your home.
Equipment solutions for a specific condition.
If you need information on what adaptations to make, you can get advice from an Occupational Therapist. Find an Occupational Therapist on the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ website.
Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
Helpline: 020 7989 0681.
There are other options you can consider, including:
- moving to a home that better suits your needs, or moving to a home closer to a relative or friend that can support you. This is called medical priority re-housing.
- swapping the home you rent with someone else. This is called mutual exchange. There is a scheme for this in Sheffield and a national website to link you with thousands of other tenants across the country.
Moving home (medical priority re-housing and mutual exchange).
If you think you need help to arrange or to help you pay for your adaptation contact the Council. They can give you advice and if you need support, they will assess your needs and arrange support with you. They will ask you about your finances so they can decide how much you can afford to pay towards your support.
Sheffield City Council: Adapting your home.
You may be eligible for an Occupational Therapy Assessment if you have long term difficulties carrying out everyday tasks. The Occupational Therapy Team can help you if you are struggling to cope with a health problem in your home and:
- you have a mobility, long-term health need or learning disability and a specific type of housing is required
- you are due to leave hospital but your accommodation isn’t suitable for your needs anymore
- your housing is causing or making your significant mental health problem worse
- you need to move nearer your carer for essential support for daily living
Your Occupational Therapist will work with you to decide what adaptations might be suitable for you. Depending on your needs, they can make changes to your home including:
- wheelchair access.
- lowering kitchen surfaces to wheelchair height.
- lifts to access upstairs.
- changes to your bathroom.
Rehousing. If you're struggling to live in your home and it's not possible to make changes to it, then the team can prioritise moving you to social housing that would be suitable for your needs.
You can request an assessment on the Council website.
Sheffield City Council: adapting your home.
Requests are responded to within 14 days and you will be told if you will be assessed and when. If you are not offered an assessment, you will be given advice on where you can find help. The waiting list for assessments is currently 12 months. However, if the team believe your situation is urgent they will prioritise visiting you within 28 days.
You can also get adaptations advice from many national charities and organisations.
Living made easy – adapting your home: the bathroom, the kitchen, into and around your home.
Age UK: home adaptations to simplify home tasks.
Independent Age: home adaptations - deciding what you need.
SCOPE: Home adaptations and occupational therapist assessments.
