Council's home adaptation service for adult care resumes

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Home improvement adaptations service to resume

The council’s adult care service has resumed its disabled facilities grants work, which includes home improvement adaptations for older and vulnerable people and had been put on hold during lockdown.

Following the easing of some restrictions, the service will now resume with a phased approach to prioritise its work to provide hand rails, grab rails, stair lifts and level access showers for residents.

Work will be safely carried out in line with social distancing guidelines and public health infection control policies.

Hundreds of adaptations are carried out in homes every year, helping to improve residents’ confidence and day-to-day life. Nearly 300 residents, currently on a waiting list for work to proceed, will benefit from new facilities over the coming months.

In 2019 adult care was awarded the runner-up prize at the national Healthy Housing Awards for disabled facilities grants adaptations service of the year.

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed, the council’s cabinet member for adult care, said: “The adaptations team do an excellent job, ensuring vulnerable residents can remain independent in their own homes. It’s vital that this important work can safely resume in line with national government guidance and residents will be contacted prior to work taking place. Our teams will be wearing Public Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times, regularly using sanitiser and ensuring infection control policies are fully complied with. The safety and wellbeing of our residents will always be our number one priority.”

Rochdale Borough Council’s Home Improvement Agency, which delivers the adaptations service for local residents, can be contacted on 0300 303 8886. Further information on the range of council adaptations available can be found at

• staywell.rochdale.gov.uk