When you start looking for home care equipment, the options can become confusing. Does your parent need a walking frame, a shower chair or a hospital bed? What will fit in the home? And what will they actually use?
Start with what they find difficult each day. Watch how they get out of bed, use the bathroom and move around at home. Ask what feels tiring or uncomfortable.
Use this checklist to work out what to ask about.
Before buying, ask for an assessment
AIC recommends consulting a doctor, physiotherapist or occupational therapist to choose suitable assistive devices. Proper fitting and knowing how to use the equipment matter.
If your parent is leaving hospital, ask the care team what should be ready before discharge and request training for anyone helping at home.
Research supports checking the home itself, too. A 2023 Cochrane review found that home fall-hazard reduction interventions reduced the rate of falls among older people at higher risk. That finding concerns targeted interventions, rather than a guarantee from buying any particular device.
The 12-item checklist
1. Grab bars
Consider grab bars if your parent needs support beside the toilet or while entering the shower.
Have them securely installed in positions suited to how your parent moves. Ask an occupational therapist about placement if you are unsure. HealthHub recommends firmly securing bathroom grab bars to the wall.
2. A shower chair
A shower chair provides a place to sit while bathing. It may be worth considering if standing through a shower is difficult.
Choose equipment intended for bathroom use and check its stability and weight limit. Ask the therapist whether your parent needs a backrest, armrests or help getting onto the seat.
3. A non-slip bathroom mat or floor treatment
HealthHub recommends rubberised non-slip mats or a suitable floor treatment for bathroom floors. Mats must stay securely in place. Check for sliding or curled edges, and keep the floor clean. If a mat creates another obstacle, discuss a floor treatment instead.
4. A bedside lamp or night light
Check whether your parent can turn on a light before standing up. Look at the whole route from the bed to the bathroom.
A reachable bedside lamp or night light can improve visibility. Keep its cable away from walking routes. HealthHub includes bedside lighting in its home safety advice.
5. A correctly fitted walking aid
A walking stick, frame or rollator may help when your parent has difficulty with balance or walking. Ask which type suits their strength and balance.
Ask a physiotherapist to select and adjust it, then demonstrate how to use it. Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s caregiver guidance covers setting the height and walking with different aids.
6. A suitable wheelchair
A wheelchair may be useful if your parent cannot manage the distances they need to travel.
Think about who will push it, the spaces it must pass through and whether someone must lift it into a car. SingHealth recommends choosing around the user’s needs and the caregiver’s abilities. Ask for assessment and training.
7. A commode
A commode may be worth discussing if reaching the toilet is difficult, particularly at night.
Check where it would stand and whether there is room for someone to help. Ask a therapist to assess the seat height and transfers. Also plan for cleaning and privacy. AIC includes portable commodes among commonly used toilet aids.
8. An adjustable care bed
If your parent needs substantial help with care in bed, ask the healthcare team whether an adjustable care bed is appropriate.
Check the space around it and ask for a demonstration before deciding. Do not automatically add portable bed rails: the US FDA warns of entrapment and fall risks and recommends individual assessment and compatibility checks.
9. A pressure-relieving cushion or mattress
Ask about this if your parent spends long periods sitting or lying down and has difficulty changing position.
HealthHub advises seeking professional guidance on suitable pressure-relieving surfaces. A soft comfort cushion is not necessarily designed to prevent pressure injuries, and specialist cushions or mattresses do not replace regular movement and repositioning.
10. A medication organiser
A pill box may help organise regular medicines by day and time. Check that your parent can read the labels and open the compartments.
Ask a pharmacist which medicines can go inside. Some must remain in their original packaging because they are sensitive to light or moisture. Use the latest medication instructions when packing it.
11. A personal alert device
Consider whether your parent could use an alert button to call for help when alone. NUH suggests personal emergency response systems as one option.
Check whether it needs to be worn, charged or kept nearby, where it works and who receives the alert. A button-operated device relies on your parent being able to reach and press it. Ask what happens if the first contact does not answer.
12. A home camera
A camera is an optional tool for families considering remote check-ins. Discuss it with your parent before installation.
Agree on its location, who can view it and how recordings will be handled. Avoid areas used for bathing, toileting or changing.
Check the actual product features and decide who will respond if someone notices a problem. A camera does not replace hands-on care.
Check Singapore subsidies before paying
Two schemes are worth exploring.
The Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) subsidises approved assistive devices for eligible Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 60 and above, subject to assessment and other criteria. Covered categories include walking aids, wheelchairs, commodes, hospital beds and pressure-relieving equipment. AIC states that approval must come before purchase. Equipment bought in advance cannot be reimbursed under SMF.
For home modifications, HDB’s Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme includes options such as grab bars, slip-resistant bathroom floor treatment and foldable shower seats, subject to eligibility and technical feasibility. AIC also provides information about EASE (Private) for private-property households.
Check the current requirements with the relevant agency. Subsidies do not automatically cover everything in this checklist.
Make sure everyone knows how to use it
Before buying larger equipment, measure doorways and the space where it will be used. Ask about delivery, installation, maintenance and whether rental is available if the need may be temporary.
Have your parent try the equipment where possible. Anyone helping with transfers or personal care should learn the correct technique from the care team.
Start with the daily task your parent finds hardest. Get advice on that first, then choose equipment that fits their needs and their home.