Leaving hospital
Adapting the home
During the rehabilitation period, the OT will evaluate your family member’s ability and level of function and will determine the type of equipment and adaptations that will be required in the home.
- A wheelchair user with limited movement and feeling may need ramps and wider doorways, have special utensils for eating and devices for dressing and grooming; the OT will discuss all this with you
- Some people are unable to go home when they are discharged and interim housing needs to be provided. In these cases, both the OT and case manager/discharge team will work jointly to advise and organise alternative accommodation for the required period of time. Housing may be provided through the council, a nursing home, private rental or a specialised agency
- Alternatively, other family members or friends may be able to provide accommodation which, even if not ideal, providing it’s safe, may be better for some than living in a nursing home
- If after discussion with your treating team adaptations need to be made to your home, it is important to start the process early, especially if you will need to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant and get planning permission to carry out the work.
All these things take time to organise.
Money Matters and Housing and Adaptations, two books in the Moving Forward series, published by SIA, each cover the financial and practical aspects of making adaptations.