Equipment to support carers
If you care for someone you will benefit from having the right equipment or technology in the home to help you in your caring role.
Different types of equipment or modifications to your home, or the home of the person you are caring for, could help make life easier and safer for both of you by providing greater independence for the person you are caring for, safer ways of doing things, or ways of checking how the person is getting on or being alerted if they need your support.
If you are looking for equipment for the cared for person to use themselves please go to our Daily living equipment section for information.
For manual handling advice, assistive technology available, or general advice for carers please see below for further information:
If you need equipment or advice to help you move the person you care for safely, you may benefit from advice and guidance from the occupational therapy team at Herefordshire Council. You can request an assessment for yourself as a carer, or an assessment of the cared for person’s needs (with their consent). The assessment may be done via telephone, a clinic appointment or a home visit depending upon the complexity of your situation.
To request advice from the occupational therapy team, please contact the advice and referral team at Herefordshire Council:
- Advice and referral team: 01432 260101
Some voluntary organisations will also provide advice and support around manual handling.
If you are paying for an agency to provide care to a family member or friend, the care agency must ensure they undertake an appropriate risk assessment for any manual handling tasks involved. If they require additional equipment to help move your family member or friend safely they can contact the occupational therapy team at the council for further advice or equipment provision.
There is now a large range of different gadgets and technology that could help make your life as a carer easier. Simple devices and apps can help give you peace of mind when you can’t be around, can help as part of an assessment of the cared for person’s needs, or can help to alert you to when they need your assistance.
Please go to our Assistive technology section to see what may help you as a carer.
If you are a carer and need a full assessment of your needs as a carer, or other help and advice, please go to our Looking after someone section for further information and to see what support is available.