Aids & Adaptations – SCH Tenants

Solihull Independent Living Service (SILS) can help to carry out adaptations to your home, making life a little easier for you.

Adaptations are particularly good for people who are disabled or having difficulty moving and coping at home independently.

There are two types of adaptations:

Minor adaptations

Minor adaptations can usually be provided free of charge and include items such as:

• grab rails (or grab bars) to help maintain balance and reduce tiredness and the risk of falling while standing or moving around
• stair rails, handrails or bannisters to help with balance and reduce tiredness and the risk of falling while climbing the stairs
• small threshold ramps to reduce your risk of tripping.

Major adaptations

Depending on your needs, you may need to make a major adaptation to your home.

An Occupational Therapy Assessment will identify the best way to support you.

Examples of major adaptations include:

• wet rooms and level-access showers to remove the step over a bath, making washing safer and leaving room for a seat, grab rails or a carer
• ramps to give step-free wheelchair access, or for anyone who finds steps difficult
• stairlifts and through-floor lifts to keep the whole home usable where the stairs have become a problem.