Chapter 5 Your home

(Publication: Guide to Care at Home 2008-2009)

This chapter tells you about the support services that can make your home safer and easier to live in. It includes information about special equipment, maintenance and repairs and also tells you about alternative housing options.

Coping with everyday tasks

Many people find that after a period of illness they need help either for a limited time or for the longer term. Some people may just need some support to adjust to their new circumstances and either re-learn old skills or acquire new skills which will enable them to cope.

Adult Services assessments

If you find that you are no longer able to carry out basic tasks such as getting yourself washed and dressed, or getting to the toilet, the Adult Services department will make an assessment. If your needs are assessed as being substantial, they will identify what extra assistance you need. They will then put in place a re-enablement programme and the appropriate care package so that you can continue to live in your own home and retain your independence. See chapter 1.

Personal Care

Organisations offering ongoing personal care will be able to offer you help with getting up, going to bed, dressing, undressing, washing, bathing, personal hygiene, eating, drinking, using the toilet, managing incontinence and tooth and denture care. They may also be able to help with health-related tasks such as dealing with pressure sores.

All organisations offering personal and/or nursing care have to be registered with the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), who regulate and inspect social care providers and ensure that they meet high standards. They also offer guidance on finding and choosing the right care services. www.csci.org.uk. See chapter 8.

Meals

Many restaurants and takeaways operate a home delivery service.

If you are having difficulty getting to the shops, many supermarkets offer a delivery service for foods bought online. You can also get frozen meals that can be heated in a microwave or a conventional oven, delivered to your door.

Some of the organisations that can help with preparing or supplying meals are given in the list of organisations that provide help in the home.

Meals on Wheels

The Meals on Wheels service delivers hot meals for people who are unable to cook for themselves because they are old, frail or disabled and there is no one else who can support them. The service may only be provided after an assessment by a care manager, which is subject to eligibility criteria. For further information, and to find out availability in your area, contact your local Adult Services office.

Housework

If you just need help with cleaning the house, the Yellow Pages list companies under ‘Cleaning Services – Domestic’. Some domestic cleaning companies are included in the list of organisations that provide help in the home. You need to ask for references before employing a cleaner.

‘Good Neighbour’ groups

‘Good neighbour’ groups can offer help in coping with everyday tasks. Over 100 groups throughout Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton provide support for vulnerable members of their communities. Because the groups are made up of volunteers, the sort of help they can offer varies widely.

Help often includes:

collecting prescriptions
shopping
driving people to essential appointments
providing a meal in an emergency
lending a hand to parents with young children
sitting with someone while the person that looks after them has a short break
helping with small household repairs, such as changing a light bulb
visiting people who are lonely
social interaction at lunch clubs and coffee mornings.

Most groups ask for a contribution towards the cost of transport. Some have a set rate per mile (usually around 40p), some have a fixed fee for journeys that they often undertake, for example to neighbouring hospitals, some simply ask for a donation. When you contact your local group you should ask about contributing towards costs.

To find out if their is a group near you contact:

Hampshire Voluntary Care Groups Advisory Service
Social Transformation Department, Old Alresford Place, Alresford, SO42 9DH
Tel: 01962 737318
the County Council Information Centres on 0800 028 0888
your local Council of Voluntary Services - see chapter 9
or visit www.neighbourcare.org.uk

Caring for Pets

If you have difficulty exercising your dog, as well as contacting pet care services, you can try your local ‘Good Neighbour’ group or local church to see if there is anyone there who can help.
Home Care for Cats in Gosport offers a ‘holiday service’ tel 023 9258 5368 www.homecareforcats.co.uk

If you can no longer look after your pet, contact the Cinnamon Trust. The Trust can find both long and short-term foster carers for pets, who will keep their owners informed about their welfare.
If your pet dies and you want another, the Trust can link you with an animal whose current owner can no longer keep it.
The Cinnamon Trust, 10 Market Square, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4HE
Tel 01736 757900
www.cinnamon.org.uk
The Trust is a charity and welcomes donations from the people it helps.

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Your personal safety

It is important that you feel safe and secure in your own home and there are many simple ways in which you can help protect yourself and your property.

Pendant alarms

You can have a pendant alarm system installed in your home to make sure that you can get help in an emergency, for example, if you fall and can’t get up. These systems are linked to your existing telephone and are activated by a small and easily-carried pendant alarm with a button that you press in an emergency. You do not need to be able to get to the telephone.

Many local councils operate alarm call systems that you can join even if you are not one of their tenants. If you are a housing association tenant, you should contact your landlord for more information, otherwise contact your local council housing department - see chapter 9.
Some Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS) run personal alarm or Lifeline systems. For your local CVS see chapter 9.
You can arrange to have a system fitted yourself by contacting:
Age Concern Aid-Call tel 08457 77 22 66 or
Tunstall Response Ltd tel 01977 661234.

Telecare

As well as pendant alarms (see above) there is now a wide range of sensors and detectors to keep people safe within their own homes, called telecare. They include things like flood detectors, movement sensors, fall detectors and door sensors. The equipment is usually connected to a call centre which is alerted if there is an emergency and can then raise help. Some housing associations and district councils have demonstration flats where you can try out the equipment.

Telecare is available to everyone, whether you are a home owner or a tenant. If you are a housing association tenant, you should contact your landlord for more information, otherwise contact your local council’s housing department, see

chapter 9.

Do your slippers fit properly?

Are your slippers too loose? Are they over-sized, slippery, or trodden-down? If so, you could easily miss your footing especially on stairs and seriously hurt yourself. Poorly-fitting footwear is among the biggest causes of accidents among elderly people. Last year in the UK, 14,000 people fell and broke their hips.

You will be safer around the house if you wear slippers that fit firmly on your foot. Styles with a Velcro fastening are easy to put on and take off, and easy to wash.

Stay on your Feet

Many people are injured every year by falling over in their own homes and have to go to hospital as a result. Falls often lead to a loss in confidence and affect people’s quality of life. Attention to the following details can keep you safe.

secure loose rugs and carpets
install handrails in the bathroom
tidy electrical cables off the floor
avoid dizziness by standing up slowly
don’t hurry to answer the door or phone
check that your slippers fit properly

Dealing with emergencies

It is vital that you know who to contact in an emergency. To call the police, the fire brigade or an ambulance, dial 999.

Your Phone

There is also a specialist BT scheme, Free Priority Fault Repair, which aims to provide a fault-free service, for vulnerable people whose phone is an essential lifeline to relatives, friends and carers, in a case of emergency. It safeguards your line free of charge and means any faults will be dealt with as soon as possible day or night, every day of the year, including Christmas day. For more information on this scheme or other BT services for people with special needs call freephone 0800 800 150.

Strangers on the Doorstep

Hampshire County Council, together with the Consumer Support Network and its other partners, have produced an information booklet called ‘Safe and Sound’ for older people living in Hampshire. This summarises your consumer rights and provides advice on staying safe and secure in your own home. For a copy of the booklet, or for further information, call 01962 833620. The information is also available online by visiting www.hants.gov.uk/regulatory/safe

If you receive a visit from someone you don’t know, always ask for a proof of identity. All Adult Services staff carry an ID card with photo. Other callers and tradesmen should be able to do the same. Do not let strangers into your home until you are satisfied that they are genuine. Don’t be embarrassed about keeping them waiting while you check who they are!

If you have information about bogus callers, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Quick Response Team (QRT) has been set up by the Fair Trading Team to deal with rogue traders that knock at the door and offer immediate work such as drives, roofing and gardening services. Often these individuals carry out poor quality work but charge high prices. The QRT goes out to handle cases where the trader is still on site or is going to return.

If you are concerned about any caller, call the Quick Response Team (QRT) on 01962 833666.

Scams by post and telephone

Hampshire Trading Standards Service warns that an estimated three million people fall victim to scams each year. Scams such as bogus lotteries, prize draws and miracle health cures arrive by post and telephone and target elderly people and the vulnerable, often leading to debt and depression.

Always be sceptical about any unsolicited offers and never part with money or give your bank or credit card details to obtain a prize or an offer that is too good to be true. Don’t be rushed into making an instant decision and don’t ring premium rate numbers (starting 090) to claim a prize or arrange a parcel delivery. For further advice or if you are worried that you have been a victim of a scam, contact Consumer Direct 08454 04 05 06

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Protecting your home

Home check

You can ask the Police, your local council or your local Home Improvement Agency to carry out a check in your home to make sure that it is safe, and to advise what you should do if it isn't. They can, for example, check windows and doors, and electrical and other equipment.

To find out what is available in your area contact:

the Police on 0845 045 45 45 and ask for the number of the crime prevention officer for your area
your local council - see Chapter 9
your local Home Improvement Agency - see Chapter 9
Portsmouth City Council Homecheck tel 023 9283 4274
Winchester City Council Homecheck tel 01962 848483

Hampshire Bobby Trust offers advice to older people about home security and can provide simple devices such as door chains and spyholes to help prevent burglary and replace locks after a burglary. tel 023 9289 9056

Protecting your home from burglars

Make sure you secure windows and doors before you leave the house.
If you are in the garden or upstairs, make sure your downstairs doors are locked, and that you have a key with you to get in or out in a hurry.
Fit window locks and keep the keys in a safe place.
Keep tools and ladders securely locked away.
Display your burglar alarm and neighbourhood watch sticker prominently. Put up a warning sign for visitors if you have a dog as this will deter thieves.
Keep valuable items out of view. Don’t leave keys under a doormat or on a string through the letterbox. Burglars expect this.

Dial 101

For less urgent community safety issues such anti-social behaviour and non-emergency crime, there is a 24-hour number provided by your police and local council. Dial 101 to alert the police to any of the following

vandalism and graffiti
noisy neighbours and loud parties
threatening and abusive behaviour
abandoned vehicles
dumping and fly tipping
drunk and rowdy groups
drug related anti-social behaviour
broken street lighting.

Calls cost 10p from landlines and mobiles and will be recorded for training, quality monitoring and public safety purposes.

Reducing nuisance junk mail and telephone calls

You can reduce the amount of junk mail delivered to you by contacting the Mailing Preference Service tel 0845 703 4599.
You can stop unaddressed leaflets being delivered by Royal Mail by contacting
Royal Mail Door to Door, Freepost RRBT-ZBXB-TTIS, Royal Mail Door to Door Opt Outs, Kingsmead House, Oxpens Road, Oxford OX1 1RX.or email optout@royalmail.com
You can stop unsolicited telephone calls by contacting the Telephone Preference Service on 0845 070 0707. It may take a while for calls to reduce. If you continue to have a problem, contact OFCOM tel 020 7981 3040.

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Fire Safety

Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service recommends that you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and ideally in all rooms except your kitchen and bathroom. It is important that you regularly check that alarms are not clogged by dust and that you test that their batteries work.

Plan how you would get out of the house in an emergency. Your working smoke alarm will give you early warning of a fire. You should get out of the house, call the Fire Service and stay out.

Almost all fires can be prevented. Prevent a fire starting in your home by following this advice

Never leave cooking pots and pans unattended
Do not overfill a chip fryer with oil (one third is the maximum)
Do not hang clothes or tea towels on the cooker to dry
Never dry clothes in front of a fire or heater
Switch off and unplug (if possible) electrical appliances at night
Do not overload sockets – use a fused adaptor
Have your electric blanket tested for faults regularly
Never smoke in bed or your favourite armchair if you are tired
Always put cigarettes and pipes out properly
Close doors inside your home at night.

Protecting people with sensory impairment

Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service are working in partnership with the Adult Services Sensory Services team to advise people with sensory impairments on fire safety. They will help in devising escape plans and in arranging the installation of special fire and smoke detectors.

For more information about fire safety contact:
Community Fire Safety Department
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Leigh Road, Eastleigh SO50 9SJ
Tel 023 8062 6809
www.hantsfire.gov.uk

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Equipment to make your home safer

To make your life at home easier and safer, you can obtain equipment ranging from large installations like stairlifts, to smaller items like rails to help you in the bathroom and specialised kitchen utensils.

Help from Adult Services

If you have sight and/or hearing loss, Adult Services specialist advisers can help – see chapter 4.

Occupational Therapists can carry out an assessment of what you can and can't do in your everyday activities. They can give you advice and information about equipment that may be useful, or they may suggest alternative practical ways of doing things.

Hampshire: For information about equipment or to arrange to see an Occupational Therapist, contact:
Hampshire Adult Services OT Direct
tel 0845 600 4555, Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5.00pm, Friday 8.30 am-4.30pm.
textphone 01489 589951
email otdirect@hants.gov.uk
An OT may visit you at home as part of this service.

Portsmouth and Southampton: See Social Care Services contact details in chapter 9.

The Disabled Living Foundation has introduced an online self assessment tool, SARA, which establishes what equipment might help you. Visit www.dlf.org.uk/sara to complete an assessment.

Places in Hampshire where you can get advice about equipment

All the centres listed here like you to phone beforehand to discuss what you want and/or to make an appointment.

Basingstoke Disability Information Centre
19-20 Westminster House, Festival Place, Basingstoke RG21 7LS
Tel 01256 814681
Monday to Friday 9.30am-5.30pm

Gosport Disability Information Centre
Martin Snape House, 96 Pavillion Way, Gosport, PO12 1FG
Tel 023 9260 4688 Monday to Thursday, 10am-3pm

Havant Age Concern Information and Resource Centre
14 Market Parade, Havant PO9 1QF
Tel 023 9247 2452 Monday to Friday 10am-3.30pm

Petersfield Disability Resource Centre
Ramscote, Ramshill, Petersfield GU31 4YZ
Tel 01730 231418

Portsmouth
DOVE
85 Northern Road, Cosham, Portsmouth PO6 3AH
Tel/fax 023 9278 7788
www.d-o-v-e.org
Call to check opening hours.

Southampton Aid and Equipment Centre
Josian Centre, Unit 3 and 4, Imperial Park , Empress Road, Southampton, SO14 0JW
Tel 023 8071 8855
By appointment only.

Winchester
Leonard Cheshire Resource Room
Red Cross House, off Winnall Close, Winnall Manor Road, Winchester SO22 0LB
Tel 01962 867378
www.leonard-cheshire.org
Offers an OT assessment service.

National Disability Advice Centres

RICA (Research Institute for Consumer Affairs)
30 Angel Gate, City Road, London EC1V 2PT
Tel 020 7427 2460
Monday to Friday 9am-6pm
www.ricability.org.uk
Unbiased information about products and services for people who are disabled and/or elderly. Phone for a list of publications.

REMAP Mary-Ann Mitchell
D9 Chaucer Business Park, Kemsing, Kent TN15 6YU
Tel 0845 1300 456
www.remap.org.uk
Custom-made aids for disabled people, including children, for example, a piece of equipment that will allow someone to play a particular sport.

Disabled Living Foundation (DLF)
Helpline 0845 130 9177 Monday to Friday 10am-4pm
Textphone 020 7432 8009
www.dlf.org.uk
Advice on equipment and where to find it, free factsheets that can be downloaded or ordered online, information about training and events and DLF Equipment Centre (London). Phone for an appointment with a trained adviser.

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Getting the equipment you need

Equipment Direct aims to provide a greater choice and faster access to equipment and information to help disabled and older people to live independently. Their website includes an online assessment to help you find the equipment you need and a wealth of useful information to help you decide what is best for you. www.equipmentdirect.org.uk

British Red Cross
You can borrow and buy simple equipment, such as bath aids, commode chairs, toilet seats, walking frames or wheelchairs. You can get advice about buying a wheelchair.
British Red Cross (Medical Loan Department), Red Cross House, Winnall Close, Winchester SO23 0LB
Tel 01962 877732

Adult Services Occupational Therapists can assess what would help you, can loan you equipment and can arrange for minor alterations to be made to your home, for example, fitting grab rails. Contact Hampshire Adult Services OT Direct (see above).

You can buy simple equipment in high street shops to help with everyday tasks, such as key and handle turners, long handled tools for the house and garden. You can find local stockists in the Yellow Pages under ‘Disability’ and ‘Mobility’.

Some furniture stores can supply easy chairs that tilt or lift to help people get up. You can find local stockists in the Yellow Pages under ‘Furniture Retailers’.

You can buy, sell and exchange specialist disability equipment (for adults and children) through the Disability Equipment Register, a non-profit making organisation. You can use the Register on-line, or you can send for their monthly magazine (send six first class stamps for a copy).
Disability Equipment Register, 4 Chatterton Road,Yate, Bristol BS37 4BJ
Tel 01454 318818
www.disabilityequipment.org.uk

Other stockists include:

General Medical
12-14 Union Street, Aldershot GU11 1EG
Tel 01252 666898
Website: www.genmedical.com
on-line resource for medical and nursing products

Hampshire Rehab
Unit 2, Station Road, Alton GU34 2PZ
Tel 01420 87732

Equipment by mail order

The following organisations can all send you detailed catalogues, and supply special equipment by mail order.

Ableworld
39 Beam Street, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 5NF
Tel 01270 627 185
www.ableworld.co.uk

Keep Able Mail Order
3/4 Sterling Park, Brierley Hill, Dudley DY5 1TB
Tel 08705 20 21 22
www.keepable.co.uk

British Red Cross - Ability catalogue
113 Clarendon Park Road, Leicester LE2 3AH
Tel 0870 739 7391
www.redcross.org.uk/ability

Nottingham Rehab Supplies
Findel House, Excelsior Road, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1NG
Tel 0845 121 8111
www.nrs-uk.co.uk

Help the Aged (Mail Order) Limited
PO Box 377 Whitney OX28 9AS
Tel 0870 770 0441
www.helptheaged.org.uk

Peta (UK) Limited
Mark’s Hall, Mark’s Hall Lane, Margaret Roding Dunmow, Essex CM6 1QT
tel 01245 231118
www.peta-uk.com
Designers and suppliers of ergonomic tools and aids.

Homecraft Rolyan
Nunn Brook Road, Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts NG17 2HU
tel 08702 423 305
www.homecraft-rolyan.com

Promedics
Moorgate Street, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 4PB
tel 01254 619000
www.promedics.co.uk

Advice from Utility Suppliers

Southern Electric & Gas Careline
Freephone 0800 622 838
Textphone 0800 622 839
8am - 6pm Monday to Friday, 8am - 2pm Saturday

Information and advice service for older, disabled and/or blind people:

how to recognise genuine Southern Electric or Southern Electric Gas representatives
help if you find your meter hard to read.
special controls, switches and adaptors

The free Careline booklet has details about available services and helpful suggestions for customers.

British Gas Home Energy Care Advisers
Tel 0845 955 5404
Textphone 0845 955 5502
Information and home visits to provide safety checks and advise on adaptors and gadgets to make gas equipment easier to use for disabled and/or blind people. Large print bills are available if needed.

BT Advice Line
Freephone 0800 800 150
Ask for the disability team and information about specially adapted phones. A free BT booklet about equipment and services is available.

Call 195 to find out if you are eligible for free directory enquiries.

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Maintenance and repairs

Major repairs

You need to make sure that your home is maintained properly so that it is safe for you to live there. If it needs repairs, you can get advice and help.

If you are elderly and/or disabled and have a low income, you can get advice and help from your borough, city or district council, or from your local Home Improvement Agency (HIA). Whether you are a council tenant or own your own home, they can advise whether you qualify for a grant to help pay for the work and if so, how to apply for one. They can recommend a reliable building contractor and check that work has been done to a good standard. See Chapter 9 for your local HIA.
If you are a private tenant, you should contact your landlord. If they are unwilling to carry out the work needed, you should contact your local council housing department which may help your landlord carry out essential work.
If you are a Council or Housing Association tenant you should contact your landlord.
If you are paying for repairs yourself, you can still get advice and information from your local council or Home Improvement Agency. Staff may also be able to suggest local builders who are expert in the kind of repair work that you need. Also see ‘Buy with Confidence’ below.
Never agree to repairs to roofing or driveways offered at the door. Always go to a reputable trader. See the information about ‘Buy with Confidence’ below.

Small repairs

There are some local 'handyperson' schemes which deal with small repairs and home maintenance. For information about what is available near you contact:

Age Concern Hampshire tel 0800 328 7154
your local Council of Voluntary Service - see Chapter 9
your local Home Improvement Agency - see Chapter 9
Home Improvement Trust (HIT) Freephone 0800 783 7569. If you have a low income or do not have savings or investments you may be able to get a low cost loan from the HIT.

Gardening

Keeping your garden maintained can become a real concern. For advice on making your garden easier to manage you can contact Thrive, a national charity which promotes the benefits of gardening, on 0118 988 5688 or look at the website, www.carryongardening.org.uk, for tips to achieve this. Age Concern Hampshire has a list of gardeners/garden schemes and offers a free information and advice service on 0800 328 7154. Councils of Voluntary Service (CVSs) also have contacts in your local area. (See CVS contact details on see Chapter 9)

Hampshire County Council’s ‘Buy with Confidence’ scheme has contacts of good, reliable trades people (see Quality Assurance below).

When asking for quotes, remember to ask if there is a cost to remove any garden refuse and if specific gardening equipment is needed. Find out exactly what they will and will not do (for example, not all gardening services offer hedge cutting).

Quality assurance

It is important that if you are having any work carried out on your property, that you get someone reliable and trustworthy. When you need to find a reputable supplier or tradesman, you can contact Hampshire County Council’s ‘Buy with Confidence’ (BWC) scheme which aims to protect the public from rogue traders.

Hampshire Trading Standards have a list of approved firms which have agreed to provide reliable and quality services and have passed stringent quality tests. BWC members are regularly monitored to check for any complaints. Some traders are ‘small job friendly’ which means that they are happy to consider work/orders for £75 or under – the website indicates who they are.

For consumer advice and details of the BWC scheme, call Hampshire Trading Standards advice on 01962 833620 or visit www.buywithconfidence.info

Referenceline helps reputable firms collect references from their customers using special freepost forms. Customer feedback is published online so you can check if tradesmen are suitable or not. www.referenceline.com

If you have had problems with a trader and need to file a complaint, call Consumer Direct South East on 0845 4040 506 to speak to a trained consumer adviser. Monday to Friday 8.00am-6.30pm Saturday 9.00am-1.00pm textphone 08451 28 13 84 www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

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Heating your Home

Staying safe while keeping warm

For your own safety, you need to make sure your heating system is in good working order. If not maintained properly, heating systems can be very dangerous.

Have your gas/coal fired cooking and heating equipment and flues serviced annually by a registered CORGI or HETAS engineer.
Fit an approved carbon monoxide alarm.
Do not sleep in a bedroom with a paraffin heater or a gas fire without a flue.

Keeping warm in winter

It is essential to keep warm, particularly during the cold winter months, to help prevent conditions such as hypothermia, bronchitis, chest infections and pneumonia.

The free Department of Health guide Keep Warm Keep Well provides information about staying well in the winter by keeping warm. For a copy, call 0870 155 5455 or visit their website www.direct.gov.uk/keepwarmkeepwell

Financial assistance with heating costs

If you are struggling with your winter fuel costs, you should speak to your energy provider, who should be able to offer you a standard monthly direct debit charge, to enable you to spread the cost of your energy over the year with regular fixed payments.

If you are a pensioner, you should ask to go on your suppliers’ Priority Service Register. This will entitle you to special services from your energy supplier. The organisation that runs the register, Energywatch, can help take up complaints, help you switch suppliers, register you for free services through your supplier and give you information about grants and benefits you may qualify for. Contact the Priority Consumer Team on 0845 906 0708 or email priority.consumers@energywatch.org.uk

The Home Heat helpline can help with payment schemes to spread the cost of heating and can speak to other organisations on your behalf. Freephone 0800 336699

Most people aged 60 and over qualify for a Winter Fuel payment made every November to December. If you have not received your entitlement, phone 08459 15 15 15 textphone 0845 601 5613, Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm.

More efficient heating

The following organisations may be able to help reduce your fuel costs.

Your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre will give you free advice on how to make your home more energy-efficient and comfortable, to save you money on fuel bills. They will also recommend which fires or heaters will be best for you. Freephone 0800 512 012
The Warm Front scheme gives grants worth up to £2,700 to improve heating and insulation. Freephone 0800 072 0151 website: www.warmfront.co.uk

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Alterations to your home

If you are finding it hard to manage in your current house or flat, you may want to consider altering it to suit your needs.

Alterations can range from installing grab-rails and ramps to building a walk-in shower, adapting the height of kitchen units and widening doorways so that a wheelchair can go through easily.

You can get information, advice and help on all aspects of making alterations to your home either from your local council housing department or from your local Home Improvement Agency (HIA) also known as Care & Repair or Staying Put. For details of local councils and for Home Improvement Agencies see Chapter 9.
Local councils can provide Disabled Facilities Grants to pay, or help pay, for alterations. Grants are means-tested and people also have to meet the medical criteria which apply. These include an occupational therapy assessment to support the request for a grant. You can get information and advice about these grants from your local council, and staff at your local HIA can help you with your application. If you do not qualify for a grant, HIA staff can suggest other means of funding the work.
Staff at DOVE can give advice and suggestions about how you could adapt your home to meet your needs, including trying out a stairlift.

Supporting People

Supporting People is the name of the scheme introduced in 2003 for providing housing-related support to:

older people in sheltered housing
people with learning disabilities
people with mental health problems or physical disabilities
vulnerable young people
ex-offenders
women escaping domestic abuse.

For further information on Supporting People schemes:
Hampshire tel: 01962 826000
www.hants.gov.uk/supporting-people.

Southampton tel: 023 8083 4239
www.southampton.gov.uk

Portsmouth tel: 023 9284 1743
www.portsmouth.gov.uk

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Help from your local council housing department

Which councils have housing departments?

If you live in Hampshire, your local city, borough or district council deals with housing, not the County Council.

Portsmouth and Southampton are unitary councils and deal with all local services including housing.

Addresses and phone numbers of local councils are in Chapter 9.

Housing departments can offer information and advice:

if you are homeless and/or want to apply for social housing
if you have an assessed care need Locality Housing Officers will offer advice on a range of housing options.
about Disabled Facilities Grants to help owner/occupiers or tenants alter their home to make it easier to live in – see ‘Alterations to your home’.
about insulating, improving or maintaining your home.

Social Housing

Affordable rented housing, which used to be provided by local councils (and was called council housing) is now provided by both local councils and housing associations. Some local councils have transferred all their housing stock to housing associations. Affordable rented housing is usually referred to as 'social housing'. To be eligible for social housing you must apply to join the Council’s Housing Register. Forms are available from your local council.

Social housing includes sheltered housing for older people and supported housing for people with disabilities (which may be physical disabilities, learning disabilities, or mental health problems).

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Alternative housing options

Making changes

If it is not possible to adapt your current accommodation to suit your needs, you may want to look at other housing options.

There are various housing schemes which offer different levels of care services to their residents.

Sheltered housing

Sheltered housing is mainly for older people and is usually a group of small houses, bungalows or flats that are linked either to a resident Scheme Manager or more often to a mobile Scheme Manager service which can offer some help and support when needed.

Schemes are run by local councils, housing associations or private companies. Some offer rented accommodation whilst others offer leasehold accommodation that can be bought privately.

To find out more about sheltered housing contact the housing department at your local council - see Chapter 9.

ExtraCare housing

ExtraCare, or very sheltered housing provides an alternative to residential care. People have their own flats, and care is provided on-site, according to their needs. There are often communal facilities such as the provision of a meal, a lounge or a hairdresser. Extra-care housing can enable people to maintain their independence longer by providing security, health advice and support. There are a number of extra care schemes across the county. Some schemes offer full ownership, some shared ownership and others a tenancy. Contact your local Adult Services office.

Supported housing

Supported housing is designed to meet the particular needs of people with disabilities. Support is provided as a condition of living in the accommodation. This may be housing where, for example, all facilities are accessible to someone in a wheelchair. Schemes vary in how much support, such as an emergency-call system, is provided.

To find out more about supported housing contact your local council housing department – see Chapter 9.

Adult Placement

If you would like to live as part of someone's family, then you might consider the Adult Placement Scheme, run by Adult Services which recruits and trains ordinary people to become Adult Placement Carers. These carers then provide accommodation and support in their family home for up to three people. Adult Services Department staff match people to these homes and ensure that settling in goes smoothly.

The Adult Placement Scheme started over 20 years ago offering care primarily for people with learning disabilities, but is increasingly providing care for older people, people with physical disabilities and people with mental health problems. It can offer day care and short break/respite care as well as long-term care. Contact your local Adult Services office.

Moving into a Residential Home

If you feel it’s time to think about moving into residential care, then the free Adult Services Guide to Residential Care gives information about what you need to consider. For a copy phone 0800 028 0888.

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