The caring included interest, friendship, laughter, concern and time. I return home relaxed and very impressed.An inpatient at St Ann’s Hospice

All quotations are used with permission.

The range of aids and adaptations available, includes:

• grab rails which help getting through doorways with steps or getting out of the bath.
• seats which can lift you in and out of the bath and walk -in showers with and without seats.
• toilet seats that can be raised.
• ramps that can be fitted to allow easier access to the outside.

This short list touches on help available but there many good ideas and appliances to choose from. There are private companies to be found in newspapers and online, but the key is to get sound advice before you start buying. It is also worth approaching a GP or District Nurse to see what help there is available via the NHS - with continence difficulties, wheelchairs and commodes for example.

Go to whichever of the sites below that council tax is paid to for full information about how your local authority gives access to this advice:

Cheshire        www.cheshire.gov.uk
Manchester    www.manchester.gov.uk
Salford          www.salford.gov.uk
Stockport      www.stockport.gov.uk

You can also get further advice, support and information from:

Age Concern - for a downloadable factsheet about disability equipment visit  www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/fs42.asp

The Disabled Living Foundation – visit www.dlf.org.uk/ for free and impartial advice on aids and equipment available.