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New DFG guidance will help thousands to ‘ acquire life-changing technology ’
New guidance from the government on the Disabled Facilities Grant will make it easier for thousands of people every year to acquire lifechanging technology .
The guidance now makes clear that technology can be included in home adaptations packages to help disabled and older people live safely and independently .
This welcome development was recommended by cross-party think tank Policy Connect ’ s recent report Smarter homes for independent living : Putting people in control of their lives .
The report looks at how smart home technologies can support disabled and older people to enjoy greater agency , choice and control . The Commission was sponsored by Bournemouth University and Coventry University and chaired by Sir Paul Carter CBE .
The new Disabled Facilities Grant guidance on technology will help occupational therapists , social workers , housing officers and others involved in delivering the grant use assistive technology to support people to live healthy , productive and dignified lives .
The Disabled Facilities Grant was set up in 1989 . It helps fund home adaptations and equipment for disabled and older people to help them live more independently and prevent or shorten stays in hospital . It is funded by central government and managed by local authorities .
This has traditionally meant equipment like stair lifts and ceiling hoists . But technology has evolved significantly over the past thirty years . The range of low-cost products and services that can help achieve the aims of the grant has expanded dramatically .
Several new technologies are identified by the new guidance , including :
• Smart lighting that can be remotely turned on and off , dimmed or brightened and made to change colour .
• Smart thermostats that can self-adjust to the user ’ s preferences and detect when they leave or enter the room .
• Power sockets that can switch devices on and off with a remote control .
Not all homes have the necessary digital connectivity for these devices to work effectively . The guidance confirms that grants can be used to fund infrastructure such as cabling , wireless routers and wi-fi signal extenders .
A potential obstacle to using the grant for assistive technology is that it is designed to pay for
one-off , capital costs . While it can fund the cost of installing equipment , it cannot underwrite ongoing maintenance or user support charges .
The new chapter offers advice on to manage how these costs , by including a service plan as part of a grant award or sharing costs with other local and national public services , such as the local authority ’ s community equipment service .
The new guidance is a major milestone in the history of the Disabled Facilities Grant . It will empower practitioners to realise the potential of technology to meet the needs of the people they serve in ways that were not possible a decade ago .
The next step is to raise awareness of this new guidance among grant applicants and professionals . This will make sure as many people as possible can benefit from assistive technology provided through the Disabled Facilities Grant .
Words CLIVE GILBERT is Policy Manager for Assistive and Accessible Technology at Policy Connect , a cross-party think tank . Read the assistive technology chapter of the new Disabled Facilities Grant Delivery Guidance https :// bit . ly / 3ybhDTz . Read Smarter homes for independent living : Putting people in control of their lives https :// bit . ly / 3R6EVTl
The new guidance is a major milestone in the history of the Disabled Facilities Grant . It will empower practitioners to realise the potential of technology to meet the needs of the people they serve in ways that were not possible a decade ago .”
July 2022 OTnews 9