Most people would rather maintain their independence at home in a safe way, before considering moving and other living options, there are steps that an elderly person and their family can take to make their home a safer place to live in Norfolk, whilst still maintaining independence.
There are plenty of resources to make use of in Norfolk to strive for safer independent living that we’ve outlined for you here, including Council help, technological aids, mobility support and more.
Visit AgeSpace’s guide for advice in accessing funding for home adaptations in Norfolk.
Support Services in Norfolk for Safer Independent Living
Fall Prevention
One of the leading causes of injury among the elderly is falling, which is why fall prevention is something Norfolk’s health and social care services have targeted targeting. You can read up on the council’s full guide on how to prevent falls around the home, as well as what to do if your relative does have a fall through their Norfolk’s health and social care services.
Assisted Bin Collection
Those who need help with taking out their bins can request it from their local district council. Follow the links below for more information regarding each council’s service:
Safe & Well Norfolk
Safe and Well Support is a NRS Healthcare partner that works with Norfolk County Council to provide information and advice for staying safe at home. They have lots of guides on daily living aids and assistive technology on their website, where you can also complete a questionnaire to determine which daily living aids might benefit your elderly relative.
You can also call them to get in touch with an occupational therapist at 07999 021053, or fill in their Contact Form.
Age UK
Mobility Stores in Norfolk
If your elderly relative is struggling with mobility problems, they may be recommended mobility equipment by a GP or the Safe and Well Website. We have listed some mobility stores across Norfolk below where you are able to buy such equipment.
Broadland Mobility (Great Yarmouth)
A family run business with over 40 years of experience within the mobility industry. They are located in Great Yarmouth, but operate across Caister, Hemsby, Beccles, Bungay and the surrounding areas. You can find the full range of what they have to offer through their website, including wheelchairs, electric beds and stair lifts. They welcome anybody getting in touch to ask for assistance and advice.
- Telephone: 0800 1510 255
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 102-105 St. Nicholas Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 1NL
- Visit Website
Mobility Supermarket (Dereham & King's Lynn)
Mobility Supermarket has locations in Kings Lynn and Dereham, stocking an impressive range of disability and mobility aides such as mobility scooters, powerchairs, wheelchairs, walking aids, stair lifts, bath lifts, and a wide range of recliner chairs. All in store staff offer free and friendly advice and they do their best to offer low, competitive prices.
- Telephone (King's Lynn): 01553 819 904
- Address (King's Lynn): Unit 4, Laen Court, Horsley's Field, King's Lynn, Norfolk. PE30 5DD
- Telephone (Dereham): 01362 853 256
- Address (Dereham): 11 Yaxham Road, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 1HB
CareCo (Norwich)
CareCo has showrooms all across the UK, including one in Norwich. They supply all sorts of mobility and living aids, including mobility scooters, recliner chairs and furniture lifters. As well as visiting the showroom, you can also order from their online store. Take a look at their website for the full range of products available.
- Telephone: 01603 614918
- Email: [email protected]
- Visit Website
NRS Healthcare Pro (Online)
If you’d prefer to just order something online, NRS Healthcare Pro is a great website to browse options to make your relatives home an easier place to live.
- Telephone: 0345 121 8111
- Email: [email protected]
- Visit Website
Assistive Technology in Norfolk
Assistive Technology can be a great aid in helping to ease independent living and take some of the worry away about letting older members of the family live alone.
A great place to start for advice in Norfolk is the County Council’s website. The council have a range of assistive tech offerings to help support independent living in Norfolk. You can contact the Norfolk County Council’s Customer Services Centre on 0344 800 8020 and ask for a referral to the Assistive Technology team, or email them using [email protected] for further details.
You should also check out Age Space’s Guides on messaging and video calling (WhatsApp, Skype, Houseparty) to help get elderly relatives set up.
Community Alarms
Community Alarms (or Life Lines) are alarms that are usually kept on the person of the elderly or vulnerable person. When pressed, they will alert a 24/7 helpline that connects to a speaker system in the person’s house where help can be organised.
You can take a look at our list of the Best Personal Alarms for the Elderly here, for advice on choosing a service that will be best suited to you.
Free Norfolk Home Fire Safety Visits
If your elderly relative is over 65 or has a disability that would make it more difficult for them to react in a the event of a fire, they will be eligible for a free home fire safety visit from Norfolk County Council. This allows fire alarms to be checked and the home to be assessed for safety.
You can request a home fire safety visit on behalf of your relative on the council’s website. You can also get in contact with the council’s fire safety officers at Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service for advice or any queries you may have through their contact form.
