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Equipment to help you at home
At our demonstration areas you can get free, impartial advice on equipment, aids, devices and technology that can help day-to-day living easier and make you more independent.
Our team offers you a free service where we show you how the equipment can work in your home.
Demonstration area located inside the Centre for Independent Living
Enter through the gate between 19 and 21 Gadsby Street.
Centre for Independent Living
Bedford Borough Council
21-23 Gadsby Street
Bedford MK40 3HP (opens in Google Maps)
Tel: 01234 276102
Email: equipment.demonstration@bedford.gov.uk
Opening hours
Monday to Friday - 10am to 3pm. By appointment only, Call 01234 276102 and we will make sure someone is available to help you.
Specialist equipment advice
We aim to provide you with an easily accessible specialist equipment advice service to enable you to live as independently as possible within your own home.
We will work with you to:
- improve your quality of life
- increase your safety and independence
- enable you to access other support services
- increase your choice and control
A member of the Team will be able to:
- discuss the issues that you may be experiencing within your own home
- demonstrate equipment that may be available to assist you
- signpost you to other support services
- provide guidance or advice on how you can adapt your lifestyle to make your life easier
- provide information about voluntary agencies that may be able to provide you or your carer with support.
Where appropriate we can arrange for a further assessment in your own home to provide more specialist guidance or advice.
There is no charge for the advice or guidance. If we signpost you to other services, we tell you about on any potential costs that may occur.
We can also give guidance and advice about where you may be able to apply for benefits that you may be entitled to receive.
Simple, low-cost items can make a big difference to your every day life
You can see how they work and get advice on items like:
- key openers
- bed sticks
- kettle tippers
- jar openers
- dressing aids
- bathing equipment
If your needs are more complex, we can recommend where to get equipment such as:
- stair lifts
- ceiling track hoist
Self assessment portal
The Bedfordshire and Luton Community Equipment Service, in conjunction with Millbrook Healthcare, is a self-assessment portal for you or your carer to access small items of equipment to support your activities of daily living.
Visit the Millbrook Healthcare self-assessment portal
You (or your carer on your behalf) will be asked some simple questions, to see which equipment may meet your needs.
Equipment includes:
- raised toilet seats
- toilet frames
- bath boards
- bath steps
- shower chairs
- perching stools
- back rests
- bed levers
- grab rails and additional stair rails (permission of landlord/housing association is required beforehand if you live in rented accommodation)
Once the self-assessment has been completed, a member of the Clinical Support Team at Millbrook will contact your to discuss their equipment request in more detail.
A few days later, a specially trained Technician from Millbrook Healthcare will visit you with the equipment and complete their assessment within your home. The Technician will only leave the equipment if they feel that it is safe to meet both your needs and to be used within the home environment.
If the self-assessment determines that the service users needs are too high to be met by the provision of equipment, they will be signposted towards the relevant team to request a full assessment by a health or social care professional.