These are works carried out to individual properties to help tenants who, for medical reasons, require works to their properties such as walk in showers, installation of handrails etc.  The tenant has to first of all be assessed by an Occupational Therapist from West Dunbartonshire Council – telephone 01389 737000 and ask for the Occupational Therapy Department.  The Occupational Therapist then arranges to visit the tenant (there may be a waiting list for visits) and if the tenant requires adaptations to their home the OT sends the Association a referral form.  

The Scottish Housing Regulator normally provides funding for these works.  However funding is limited and therefore the Association may not always be able to attend to these requests immediately and will sometimes seek advice from Occupational Therapists to prioritise works if a number of tenants are seeking adaptations.  See below for examples of works eligible for adaptations.

The following list has been informed by the Scottish Housing Regulator Note 97/09.  It is not exhaustive and the Association may therefore consider other works as Adaptations.

1. General Alterations

• Extensions or alterations to provide bathroom, WC or bedroom, etc., with level or suitably ramped access.

2. Garaging and External Facilities

• Widening of garden paths
• Carport and/or undercover access to the property if practicable
• Remote control garage door opener to existing garage used by (or for) a disabled driver

3. Approaches to Entrance Doors

• Modification of steps, for example to widen treads or incorporate half-steps or create a ramp
• Handrails or balustrade to ramps/steps (and elsewhere in the property where necessary)
• Door call and entry phone system

4. Doors and Windows

• Widening or re-hanging of doors to permit wheelchair manoeuvre
• Substitution of sliding or bi-fold doors for side-hung doors
• Suitable ironmongery, for example level in place of knob handles, pull handles and rails to doors or kicking plates and/or protective edging to door frames and handing stiles
• Remote control window and/or door openers
• Conversion of window to French window where no other wheelchair access to the garden is available
• Alterations to windows to give satisfactory sight-lines for people in wheelchairs
• Larger windows for visually impaired people

5. Staircase and Vertical Circulation

• Additional handrail to staircase or gate at head or foot of stairs
• Stair lift installed over staircase, for standing or seated use, or with platform for wheelchair
• Vertical home lift or hoist

6. Water Services

• Substitution of lever for screw down taps
• Re-fixing of taps at convenient level
• Remote control valves for taps
• Thermostatic control for shower
• Relocation of control valve for mains water supply

7. Electrical and Heating Services

• Refixing for socket outlets at a convenient level, additional socket outlets or rocker light switches
• Alarm call or loud bell for people who are hard of hearing
• Relocation of prepayment meters or of thermostat or heating controls
• Central heating or supplementary radiators to existing installation
• Fixed heating appliance (gas or electric) in place of open fire or other solid fuel appliance
• Fluorescent lights in kitchen, bathroom and working areas for visually impaired people
• Warning systems for people who are hard of hearing, for example flashing lights
• Provision of power supply for electric hoists suspended from ceiling track
• Relocation of mains switches for gas or electricity

8. Provision of Lifting Aids

• Reinforcement of ceilings and provision of track for personal hoist

9. Acoustic Insulation

• Acoustic insulation

10. Entrance Halls

• Letter cages or delivery shelf
• Relocation of clothes hanging rails (also in bedroom)

11. Kitchens

• Alterations to provide fixed storage units, worktops and sink units at convenient levels
• Non-slip flooring
• Built in cooker for use by disabled person
• Waste disposal unit to sink

12. Bathrooms and WCs

• Shower unit in place of, or to supplement, bath
• Shower cubicle, special bath, special WC fixture, suitable washbasin and/or bidet
• Raising of WC fixture
• Sluice sink
• Fixed bath hoist
• Support rails to walls by bath or WC, or other fixed support or non-slip flooring
• Platform at head of bath

13. Storage

• Storage provision for wheelchair