Your home is the place where you want to feel comfortable, safe and secure, where you can spend time with friends and family, and rest when you are tired or unwell.
You probably want to remain in your home for as long as it is safe and possible for you to do so, perhaps with some support from your family or other people.
This is likely to be the case whether you are a young disabled adult, have mental health issues or are getting older and finding it hard to do everything you used to do.
You may be providing unpaid care to a family member or friend and need support to carry on being their carer.
Even if you don’t need help right now, it can be reassuring to know what kind of support might be available if you need it in the future.
The type of property you live in can make a big difference. You might decide to adapt your current home so you can move around more easily, maybe fitting hand rails or a ramp. You might even think about moving to a more suitable property, perhaps somewhere on one level or where there are other people around.
If you are finding it difficult to carry out certain personal tasks, like bathing or preparing meals, you might be eligible for personal care services from local social services, subject to a needs assessment. Or you might decide to pay someone to help you around the house.
The increasing use and affordability of technology to help you is helping more older and disabled people to live independently. There is also a huge range of daily living aids you can buy or hire to help you with day-to-day activities like walking, bathing and food preparation.
Feeling lonely can have a long-term and very negative effect on someone’s health and well-being. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can get involved in – and organisations and charities to help.
Finally, if you have any concerns or questions about money or legal matters there are many organisations who can offer you help and advice on claiming benefits, making your voice heard and planning ahead.