Adaptations can make a significant difference to the outcomes for an individual in relation to where they can live and the level of independence they have within their daily environment. It should also be recognised that many adaptations for people with a visual impairment or dementia may not involve structural changes to a person's home, although issues such as lighting, colour schemes, and layout should be considered. A major adaptations can be defines as work that addresses complex needs and involves permanent structural changes to a person's home, such as the provision of shower facilities, ground floor toilet or the installation of a through floor lift.
Major Adaptations Scoping Report - The results of the scoping exercise were used to help identify current innovative models and good practice in the provision of housing adaptations, together with areas for improvement. They were also used to inform the development of national good practice guidelines aimed at simplifying the processes for accessing and providing adaptations.
Key areas identified by the scoping exercise for improvement in the planning and delivery of adaptations services were:
- Strategic overview of adaptation services across tenures;
- Improved information for service users to make informed choices and exercise self management where appropriate;
- Improved interface across services to ensure an integrated care pathway for adaptations from assessment to provision;
- Improved service user focused outcomes and a robust system of performance monitoring.
Major Adaptations Good Practice Guide - Has been produced to support local services to effectively develop, deliver, manage and monitor the provision of major housing adaptations.
Guide to Funding Major Adaptations - Published in August 2010. This Guide aims to assist professionals involved in the assessment for, and commissioning of, major adaptations. It describes the main sources of funding for undertaking major adaptations to peoples' homes. Its focus is mainly on public sector sources of funding, but it also contains information about funding of 'personal' contributions by individuals where these are required.
Funding Guides for Major Housing Adaptations - The consultation on these guides has now closed. New leaflets will be published following the election.