What is equipment for daily living?
It can become difficult to carry out everyday activities such as bathing, going to the toilet, getting up from chairs or out of bed due to:
- Sight or hearing loss
- Physical or learning disabilities
- Frailty or illness.
If this is the case, there is a wide range of small pieces of equipment available that can help you or the person you care for manage everyday living tasks and promote independence.
Sometimes these items are all that is needed to help you to maintain your independence and quality of life.
Examples of equipment that is available include a:
- Chair raiser to make it easier for you get on and off a chair
- Stair rail to hold onto when managing steps
- Grab handle by the bath to help you get in and out of the bath safely
- Raised toilet seat to help you get on and off the toilet safely
- Trolley to help you to safely take your meals from one room to another
- Bed rail can help you to sit up in bed
- Bath board and seat help you to get in and out of the bath safely
- Personal alarm often worn round the neck to call for help when you need to. This type of equipment is often referred to as telecare.
The Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) has a good range of information and guidance about the type and range of equipment that is available.