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Trouble with stairs

jamie1965

hi jean I live in social housing my doctor has been telling me to move for years cause of the stress I had due to the neighbours they eventually moved out and things settled I spend most of my time upstairs as gel from the top to bottom last year not the first time usually fall up them but this time ended up at the hospital that’s when they found I had narrowing in my spine I have been struggling with the stair for a while now but persisted did not want to move as could not afford it and have put a lot into my home to get it as it is but needs just now due to fibro getting worse and to tell the truth sometimes I find myself stood at the top of the stairs as scared to go down they are narrow and very steep everyone that has come has commented on how steep they are it is getting really hard to get up and down them and when I have flare ups it is impossible. I am also a blue badge holder as cannot walk very far without pain but you cannot park her my partner has to park 3 streets away in car park and there is no access from this side of the estate you have to drive round to the other side to get access life is getting so hard hard now my partner has to sleep in the other bedroom cause if not the poor sod would not get any sleep at all with me tossing all night cause of pain I called the housing and told them the situation and they told me to go on an exchange list I called my doctor as he said he will support my move but the lady one the phone said we can get you a letter but you have to pay for it told her doctor offered me it but she is not interested feel like I’m gonna be stuck here

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Jean_OT

Hi @jamie1965

Thanks for posting.

So firstly, it sounds as if you need to make a firm decision as to if you would prefer to stay in the house where you are and have it adapted or push to be rehoused. So perhaps your options are:

STAY IN CURRENT HOME: It sounds as if you are reasonably happy where you are now, especially as your problem neighbours have gone and you have invested a lot in getting your home how you want it. In which case it is going to be a matter of exploring if your home can be adapted (perhaps a stair-lift or through floor lift). You would need to have an OT assess your home and if they agree the adaptations are necessary they will probably be funded with a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG):

https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/disabled-facilities-grant

It is worth being aware that if you have a DFG to adapt your current property and then move within the term of the grant (normally five years) you may have difficulty getting another DFG for the same type of adaptation in your new property. Also, the more suitable for your needs you make your current property then the lower priority you would be if you decided to move.

If you wanted to adapt your current property, the OT was supporting you but unable to obtain funding then you could explore charitable funding to pay for the work https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/search-grants

With regards to the parking I appreciate that your partner having to park some distance away must be inconvenient. If your partner has a mobility impairment or if your partner is using their car to transport you then it might be worth exploring if there is the possibility of having a dedicated blue badge parking space installed nearer by (see: https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/independent-living/driving )

MOVING HOME: As currently you are only being offer to go on the transfer list, as opposed to being given the opportunity to bid on vacant properties, it would suggest that your housing provider isn’t convinced that your current accommodation is sufficiently unfit to meet your needs to make you a priority for another property. If you want to be able to bid for properties you will need to gather sufficient evidence (OT’s reports etc) to demonstrate that your home is unfit for you and can be adapted to meet your needs.

Hope this helps

Best Wishes

Jean

jamie1965

Thank you I have called adult services and they said I was gonna be put on a list for one of there occ health advisors to come out to my home but she said it was a priority system and that they could not give a date when they would come so still sat wondering how long I know the Housing won’t allow changes to the property one it is grade listed build and the stairs as I have said are so narrow would not allow for a chair lift either I have tried to add my own grab rails in the bath room but the outside is communal so they say this is no go however you would think that the steps at the front of the house are so danagerous that common sense would step in and the would put hand rails there but they said no one else has asked for them so they not gonna do it

Jean_OT

Thanks for the update @jamie1965 requesting an Occupational Therapist assessment is definitely a step in the right direction. If you have any further queries, or want to let us know how you are getting on, please don't hesitate to post again.

Best Wishes

Jean

jamie1965

Thank you for the advice I hope I can get help now either moving or adjustments I will let you know when the contact me and do the assessment thanks again