Sheltered/ supported housing?

nannymaroon

Hello everyone
I've come to the point where I need a bit more support to continue living independently. I currently have  carers for 1 hour 4 x pm to help  with personal  care. My home is no longer suitable because my bedroom toilet and bathroom is upstairs. I can't use the stairs any longer. I was assessed by the occupational  therapist as qualifying for a  stair course  in 2019 but then covid hit and the local council declared bankruptcy. I received a  letter  stating that they  predict a 2-3yr wait  for the stairlift which is too long to live like this. I'd like to be able to access my bedroom and bathroom at some point.

Can anyone advise  me of the process of moving into a more suitable  home that is adapted where I can live independently?  I don't need 24 hr care or anything, just some minimal support and adaptions. I am in social housing and the advice from my housing association isn't very clear.

Ross_Alumni

Hello @nannymaroon

Thank you for posting this, and sorry to hear that you are finding challenges with independence at the moment, and that your council isn't being overly clear with you. That is a very long time that you would have to wait for a stair lift, so I'm not surprised at all that you are keen to take action now.

You can find the below information on this Scope page about finding accessible housing, I hope that some of the resources can be useful for you:

• Shelter offers free, confidential advice to people with all kinds of housing problems.
• Habinteg is a housing provider offering and promoting accessible, adaptable and affordable homes.
• The House Shop allows you to find, buy, rent or sell accessible homes that have been built, adapted or modified for wheelchair users.
• Accessible housing in Wales is a list of housing resources if you live in Wales.

The NHS also has a page here about finding supported housing, I hope it might help to clarify how it works.

Is your housing provider aware of the recommendation you have been given by your OT? Perhaps it might be worth getting a letter that outlines your needs so that you can use it to support your case for more suitable housing.

I look forward to other members sharing any experience they may have in this area.