where do i begin.

[jacksie]

can anyone tell me how social services work.I own my house,i asked for down stair loo because of my quick quick need for pee!.they came back and said no loo stairlift instead hmm!.i ask for new bigger shower they say ok wet room ,i said great ,but they have there own people only to fit.i cannot work only have benefits,my house is in need of repairs like new windows etc,dreading winter.

[Extremelygrumpy]

I had a home assesment from social services ... I refused to let them touch my bathroom cos its the first ever bathroom I have had from new.. They wanted to fit grab handles on my new tiles.....!!!!!! It's not perfect for fibro and arthritis but it looks very nice.. They gave me a toilet seat that makes the toilet 4 inches higher and a shower bath seat which doesn't actually work cos it fits on bath sides and the water goes on the floor from shower.. I got a perching stool which is great for washing up and they fitted rails on the steps outside so I can get down the steps into the back garden they were very helpful there was no charge for any of the aids or the fitting of the rails....so I assume they would make you a wet room free. We own our bungalow so I was surprised and pleased that it was all free the rails are wonderful I can get outside on my own into my lovely garden

VG x

[jacksie]

hi very grumpy welcome to my question.i know it's free for rails and aids,i've had some of those but you are fortunate to live in a bungalow.i don't , that's problem i struggle 3 bedroom property i would rather just pack bags and leave today,so much hassle.Great owning own house till you get ill and disabled,you can't work so have no money for maintenance of house it's an upward struggle,feeling very low at minute.Yours truly jacksie.

[josieowl]

we had my husbands OT refer us for a disabled facilities grant. we had a gentleman from the council come out and with the community OT went through the major adaptations ( the rails ect were done through the other OT) they decided we needed the bathroom changed into a wet room and a stair lift as my husband and i were sleeping in the living room as he can not do stairs. we filled in the forms and he took them away, we were warned it could take a few months to do but ours was rushed through and we got a letter within a couple of weeks to say we had got it and to choose which builders we wanted to use, they sent us a list of preferred builders and we had to choose 2 off the list, they then came out and did a quote each we sent them to the council who chose the cheapest and we then told the winner of the bid to start work. they worked for us in the same way they would a private contract. when work was done the man from the council came out and approved the works and paid them ( nearly £4500 of work on bathroom and £1500 for stair lift) . he said that as long as we were on housing benefits and other ones then it did not matter if we were private or housing association ( we are the latter) but had to sign to say we would not move for 5 yrs so ask your dr to send an OT out or if you already have on ask them or contact social services to come out to do a report.

[jacksie]

thanks josieowl,the person who told me i would have to have there builders for wet room is an OT worker.She said i couldn't have choice for bathroom,that's why i'm asking.I'm ok with stanna for stairs.Thanks

[cobweb]

My story is very much like joseowls, I wrote to adult services & told them that I couldn't cope without help. It was Christmas but a lady arrived even before the letter saying she would visit. We had been looking at buying a stairlift because we had been told that social services would take forever, but we found it was far too expensive for us, but the lady assessed us & because we were on benefits we had our taps changed, grab rails, a stairlift, new easy step & rail to my front door & also a wet room, which was fabulous! we paid for a new sink & toilet because I wanted it to look good & paid the plumber a little bit for his extra work. It only took a few months from start to finish & we paid nothing because of our benefits, it transformed my life!

In our previous house we got a grant for double glazing & heating because our house was old & drafty but that was many years ago, I don't know if you can get that sort of help now but it's worth asking your council or CAB. We owned our house, I don't think that makes any difference as long as you are disabled or similar