Behind Every Delay: The Impact on Families and Carers

Haela Pattemore
Sep 16
3 min read

When we talk about the home adaptations or specialist equipment, the focus naturally is on the person who needs them. Often overlooked however is the very real impact delays have on the people who provide daily care - usually family members who are likely juggling jobs, households, and their own health while caring for a loved one.

Why Delays Happen

Delays in getting home adaptations or specialist equipment are unfortunately very common. They can stem from long waiting lists for assessments, the time it takes for Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) applications to be processed, or shortages of equipment and skilled contractors. Even when funding is approved, families can still face months of waiting before work begins. For those living with daily challenges, this can feel like an endless process - and the impact extends far beyond inconvenience.

The Emotional Strain

Waiting for essential adaptations like stairlifts, accessible bathrooms or ramps can create constant worry. Families want their loved one to feel safe and independent, but instead they’re faced with stress and anxiety while managing day-to-day risks. This uncertainty can be exhausting, especially when there’s no clear timeline for when help will arrive.

The Practical Challenges

Until that help arrives, families are left to “make do.” That might mean:

Lifting and moving someone without hoisting equipment, increasing the risk of injury for both parties.
Relying on temporary setups that aren’t safe or sustainable.
Spending extra time on basic tasks, from washing to moving around the home.

What seems like a short-term wait often stretches into months, during which carers are carrying a heavier load physically and emotionally.

The Limits of Professional Care

Even when professional carers are involved, their role has boundaries. Without the right equipment in place, there are many tasks they are not permitted - or physically able to do safely. For example, lifting someone without a hoist, assisting with bathing without suitable adaptations, or supporting transfers without rails can put both the carer and the person at risk and they will understandably refuse. In these cases, family members often feel pressured to step in and bridge the gap, even if it means compromising their own health. This can create an unfair expectation on families to take on tasks that trained carers themselves cannot carry out without proper support.

The Cost of Waiting

Research shows that unpaid carers are more likely to experience burnout, financial hardship, and health issues of their own. When equipment and adaptations are delayed, these risks increase. It’s not just the person needing support who suffers, it’s the family as a whole. Children may see less of their parents, social lives are put on hold, and the home itself can feel like a place of stress rather than comfort. Carers often describe feeling “trapped,” unable to move forward until adaptations are complete.

Why Timely Adaptations Matter

When adaptations are delivered on time, the impact is immediate and immense:

Families can focus on spending quality time together instead of struggling with unsafe routines.
Carers are freed from physically demanding tasks, reducing the risk of injury.
The home becomes a place of independence and dignity, rather than frustration.

With the right support, every step becomes safer

How We Can Help

At Homes Reimagined, we understand that every week counts when you’re waiting for vital changes. While we can’t solve every systemic delay, our role is to: