Home

Services

Alzheimers/Dementia Service

Elderguide

Adaptive Equipment & Design Service

For Caregivers

A Guide to Services

Contact Us

What is it and what services does it provide? Adaptive equipment may be any device designed to compensate for a deficit or limitation in functioning. For example, someone with limited range of motion in the shoulders due to arthritis may benefit from a 'reacher' to help retrieve items from high cabinets. Other examples are tub seats that allow frail elders to sit while showering or a transfer aid for a stroke victim who needs help out of bed. There is adaptive equipment available for kitchen, bathroom and bedroom needs. Adaptive design may be any change made to the person's home to compensate for functional limitations. For example, kitchen cabinets may be lowered on the wall so as to accommodate a person in a wheelchair. A stair lift may be used in place of stairs which have become difficult because of a heart condition or breathing problems. Adaptive devices and design are also used to provide greater safety in the home for all elders regardless of their functional status. Both should help prevent accidents as well as provide support and assistance. For example, grab bars near the bathtub may assist in providing support in and out of the tub.

Who pays for the service? Medicare and Medicaid will pay for an assessment to determine what adaptive equipment may be needed. To proceed, first contact an occupational therapist at a certified home health agency or outpatient department of a rehabilitation hospital. The therapist will then contact the elder's physician for orders to perform a home evaluation. Medicare and Medicaid do pay for some equipment, but often one must pay privately for what is not covered. Providers of equipment, usually health/medical supply companies, can advise what insurance will usually reimburse. Insurance generally does not pay for adaptive design but there are community programs that may extend loans or grants to eligible persons for design and rehabilitation.

What is the average cost for the service? The cost for adaptive equipment and design vary depending upon need.

Why is it important to know about this service? Both adaptive equipment and design permit elders to compensate for declining function and thus maintain their independence for as long as possible. In this way, elders need not depend upon family or other caregivers and thus may feel better about what they can still do for themselves.

What should the consumer consider in selecting a provider? In selecting a provider, one should first contact a home health agency or hospital out-patient department that is certified for Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement. It is important that they have an occupational therapist who is trained and experienced in performing safety and access assessments. Secondly, it is important to compare pricing on both equipment and design as they may differ a great deal.