Independent Living Buyers Guide
Welcome to the Independent Living products section. This area is designed particularly for family carers looking for products and services to help with caring for an adult or child, and individuals with an impairment, looking for aids to mobility and daily living.
Bathroom
Accessible Washbasins for Independent Living Supporting Independence, Dignity and Safer Living at Home For many people, the bathroom is where independence is most easily lost – and most meaningfully regained. [...]
Grab rails, supports and other safety products are important contributions to confident independence in the bathroom. Straight grab rails These are available in a variety of lengths and thicknesses – [...]
Accessible showers provide an easy-to-use bathroom solution for the home, with a range of options to suit all levels of mobility, for both ambulant and wheelchair users. Some tips to [...]
Should you go for a powered bath lift, or one or more simple, low-tech bathing aids? What are the options for independent bathing with reduced mobility? Choosing a bath lift [...]
An automatic bidet toilet, also known as a showertoilet or wash and dry toilet, combines the functions of loo and bidet in one unit, enabling many disabled people to use [...]
Various toilet aids as shown here can make it easier to use the toilet independently, maintaining dignity and privacy for anyone with impaired mobility. Many toilets are too low for [...]
A walk-in bath is an alternative solution to adding a bathlift or seat to your existing bathtub, and there are many baths available with a door in the side, often [...]
Top tips for first time Intermittent Self-Catheterisation (ISC) users (external links below will open in a new browser tab or window) If you are new to ISC , or simply [...]
Shower seats Click here to go straight to wheeled shower/commode chairs Shower seats makes a great addition to a shower enclosure: essential for a disabled person, but very welcome for [...]
Bedroom
The Granberg electric wardrobe lift shown here lowers the clothes rail smoothly down and towards the user, making garments easy to reach at the touch of a button. With up [...]
Adjustable beds can improve health and well-being Adjustable beds, developed out of the profiling beds used in hospitals and nursing care, have proved very popular for use in the home. [...]
Comfort in Bed
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We all spend around a third of our lives in bed – if for any reason, you find yourself spending even longer there, comfort in bed becomes paramount. A bed [...]
Daily Living
Dressing Aids
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Left: an easy grip button hook passes through the buttonhole and hooks the button closed. Right: wooden-handled dressing stick has a double hook and can be used for pulling and [...]
It is often said that the state of your feet shows in your face – and painful feet can certainly make a big difference to how you feel, and limit [...]
Plus-size, easy-dressing and adaptive clothing Clothes that fit properly when you are plus-size; are easy to put on, particularly with limited mobility or dexterity; are comfortable to wear, and don’t [...]
Adaptive Menswear
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A range of clothing solutions for both independent and assisted dressing. Shirts and trousers that don’t require struggling with fiddly zips and buttons, and garments designed particularly for wheelchair users. [...]
Radio Aids and Streamers – there has never been so much choice. The “urban myth” out with family, friends or those with more knowledge is that as soon as you [...]
If you are aged over 60, and need certain mobility equipment installed in your home, you can benefit from reduced rate VAT, currently 5% rather than 20%. Those with a [...]
There is an increasing array of functional clothes, such as incontinence pants, mastectomy bras, osteoporosis protectors, etc Incontinence is a fact of life for many, particularly in later life. For [...]
Dementia takes effect over a period of time Dementia and cognitive impairment mean that a person’s ability to remember and to think clearly deteriorates. This happens over a period of [...]
Here are the rules regarding VAT exemption for disabled people. Find out when you can buy mobility products and daily living aids without VAT, and how to go about it. [...]
Disabled Children
Indoors and outdoors, kids need to have fun. Young children learn about the world and themselves through playing; everyone benefits from the improvements in co-ordination, balance, agility and muscle tone [...]
If you have a disabled child in urgent need of mobility or daily living equipment on an emergency basis, find out about the Newlife emergency equipment loan service here [...]
There is a wealth of specially designed products aimed to help disabled children achieve greater levels of comfort, security and independence. This is an overview of some of the types [...]
People with a Learning Disability
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Life with a learning disability There are one and a half million people in Britain with a learning disability, caused by the way the brain develops before birth, or by [...]
Adapted Clothing for Kids
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It is not always easy to find suitable adapted clothing for children with special needs. Here is an overview of some types of clothing we have found Please send us an [...]
Safe and enjoyable bathing for children with disabilities Bathtime fun has not been a high priority for families with disabled children – it’s been hard enough to find suitable products [...]
General Household
Telecare Telecare technology has developed considerably, providing a solution to the conundrum of maintaining independence without compromising security. Research carried out recently amongst more than 2,000 adults aged 65-93 found [...]
Stairlifts, also sometimes called chairlifts, are joined by homelifts, through-floor lifts, step lifts and stairclimbers as solutions to climbing stairs when mobility is impaired by age-related conditions such as arthritis, [...]
Choosing Portable Ramps
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A Guide to Portable Ramps for Wheelchairs & Scooters There are many different kinds of portable ramps on the market so no matter where you live, work or visit, there [...]
If you are aged over 60, and need certain mobility equipment installed in your home, you can benefit from reduced rate VAT, currently 5% rather than 20%. Those with a [...]
Home automation and smart technology to support independence Advances in home automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) make independent living safer and easier Part of the government’s strategy for [...]
More accidental deaths occur in the home than on the road – about 3000 a year. And there are plenty of less serious accidents waiting to happen. Some commonsense home [...]
Wheelchair & Scooter Access Ramps Any change in level can prevent independent access in a wheelchair or scooter: there is a wide choice of wheelchair and scooter ramps available to [...]
Door Entry
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Door Entry – one of the most important factors in retaining your peace of mind and independence is making sure that entry to your home is secure, but that you [...]
Health & Exercise
Don’t let age or disability get in the way – accessible gardening is possible with a little forethought We Brits are famous around the world for our love of gardening, [...]
Personal Care
Comments disabled
This section has a range of personal care products designed for managing daily hygiene, grooming and health management independently. Soap management – a great new system is now available to [...]
Adapted sport is essential for health and well-being It is currently estimated that less than one in five disabled people take part in sport on a weekly basis – despite [...]
Fitness is important, whatever your age or physical ability. The good news is that you can always improve muscle strength and fitness, whenever you start. Now’s the time to pick [...]
Lounge & Kitchen
As with bathrooms, kitchen manufacturers are beginning to recognise the needs of elderly and disabled customers with a growing range of thoughtfully designed kitchens. Some of the kitchen design [...]
Help with Hobbies
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A change of pace, with some ideas for indoor hobbies. Don’t forget to let us know about any activities you enjoy or hobby-related products you find useful. Send us an [...]
Back Support
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Back Support and Care From cushions and supports to massage aids and specialist seating, there are many products available to help ensure that you can protect your back and sit [...]
You will find more information about eating and drinking aids here, from low-tech to high-tech, to help with a range of issues, including weakened grip, poor dexterity tremor, swallowing problems, [...]
If you have reduced dexterity or a weak grip, food preparation can be more manageable with the help of a few easy utensils… There is a grip mat which will [...]
Rise and recliner chairs – what you need to know Are you sitting comfortably… For anyone who struggles to get up or sit down, an electric rise and recliner can [...]
Mobility
Special Function Wheelchairs
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Special function wheelchairs are some of the more unusual chairs that have been developed with features to suit users with particular needs that are not met by the standard range [...]
From walking frames and wheeled rollators to sticks and crutches, a round up of walking aids for anyone who is a little unsteady or needs some support. Click the links [...]
Wheelchair Accessories
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Most chairs will benefit from the addition of some wheelchair accessories to make them more comfortable or functional. Click the links below to go straight to more information on: wheelchair [...]
On this page are some of the latest developments in powered wheelchair technology, and lower down there is a range of general information about powered wheelchairs. You can click to [...]
If you’re a manual wheelchair user, you know all the obvious things you need to take into account before choosing one. If this is all new to you, you really [...]
Powered Wheelchair Components
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In order to select the right powered wheelchair for you, it helps to understand the various components of the chair, and the different options available. Click to go straight to [...]
Choosing Portable Ramps
Comments disabled
A Guide to Portable Ramps for Wheelchairs & Scooters There are many different kinds of portable ramps on the market so no matter where you live, work or visit, there [...]
Manual Wheelchair Components
Comments disabled
In order to select the right chair for you, it helps to understand the various manual wheelchair components, and the different options available. Anyone who is new to using a [...]
NHS Wheelchair Services assess people with mobility needs, to decide what sort of wheelchair or other mobility equipment they should be provided with. Usually, it is your GP, hospital doctor [...]
Motoring
Exchange disability benefit for leasing a vehicle People with severely reduced mobility who qualify for the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP (Personal Independence Payment) or higher rate mobility element [...]
Electric Vehicles
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The UK market for plug-in electric vehicles now provides a wide range of options from mainstream manufacturers, with government incentives to encourage purchases. These battery cell vehicles are recharged by [...]
If you are looking for a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV), for a wheelchair user to travel in as either the driver or a passenger, this section has information that could [...]
Whether you are looking for a car ramp to get a wheelchair or scooter into a vehicle; need help getting from your wheelchair to your car; or just have difficulties [...]
There is a wide range of hand controls or control adaptations for your vehicle so that you can drive it more easily if you have either upper or lower limb [...]
Safe Transportation of Wheelchairs
Comments disabled
Best Practice Guidelines Guidance on safe transportation of wheelchair users General points • Transport considerations should be factored into the initial phase of the wheelchair and seating assessment process. • [...]
There is an increasing range of motoring aids and accessories available that can make life easier for the disabled driver or passenger. Many, of course, are of great benefit to [...]
The Blue Badge parking scheme For drivers or passengers with severe mobility problems, the Blue Badge scheme offers a range of parking benefits throughout the UK. Click here to find [...]
Product Rental
Product Rental
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Mobility hire or rental – this is the place to look for mobility products and daily living aids that you can hire or rent on a long or short-term basis. [...]
Sensory Impairment
Fortunately, the range of low vision aids available to assist with day to day activities if you have less than adequate sight is improving all the time. Here is an [...]
High-Tech Communication Aids
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VOCAs (Voice Output Communication Aids) produce spoken words, either synthesised or pre-recorded, which are selected by the user from a stored vocabulary of words and phrases. The vocabulary can be [...]
Low-Tech Aids
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Low-tech communication aids, based on pictures, symbols and imagery, can help improve communication by removing language as a barrier. This alleviate problems in both transmitting and receiving messages. • Transmitting: [...]
Speech Aids
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AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) is a means of helping people to communicate when they have severe difficulties with speech and language. This may be due to a physical or [...]
Radio Aids and Streamers – there has never been so much choice. The “urban myth” out with family, friends or those with more knowledge is that as soon as you [...]
There is now a considerable range of products available to enable you to maintain contact with the world, despite hearing loss. This is a round-up of some of the most [...]
Eye Problems
Comments disabled
Regular tests can nip eye problems in the bud Eye tests are an important way of identifying any problems with your vision early on. Have a regular check-up, and wear [...]
Telecare & Communication
Remembering to take the right pills at the right time can make the difference between someone being able to live independently in their own home, or not. Pivotell, the specialist [...]