If you are struggling with activities like bathing, getting in and out of the home or going to the toilet, this page may help you to find a solution.

There really are lots of simple ways to solve these day to day difficulties. For example:

• if you find lifting pans difficult, then it may be worth buying smaller versions or using a cooking basket (like the baskets in chip pans) so you do not have to lift a heavy pan of boiling water.
• a small jug / travel kettle may be easier to manage than a full size kettle. Kitchen utensils with larger or padded handles are easier to use if your grip is poor.
• a ’helping hand’ or grab stick can be useful to assist with dressing, opening or closing the curtains or to pick up items from the floor. This reduces the need to bend or reach and can therefore reduce the risk of falls.
• a higher seat, e.g. a raised toilet seat, makes getting up and down easier and safer.

Equipment to help with managing day to day tasks is now much more widely available both on the high street (e.g. Argos, B&Q or local chemist shops) and in specialist shops (e.g. Millercare). The Centre for Independent Living (CIL) in Warrington also provide advice and supply equipment that you can try before buying.

The Disabled Living Foundation factsheets have lots of useful ideas on how to manage personal and domestic daily living activities and provide information on where to buy equipment. They also provide an online self-assessment tool on their website, which you can access from the link on the right.

If bathing is a problem you can download the bath measurement sheet and take it along to the CIL or a local retailer to help ensure the equipment you choose fits your bath at home.