Small aids funded to allow patients to be discharged

8 APRIL 2026

Patients who are medically fit for discharge often remain in hospital due to difficulties completing essential daily tasks independently. This is particularly true for individuals who live alone and have no informal support. Delays in discharge increase hospital bed occupancy and may lead to unnecessary referrals for care packages.

York & Scarborough Hospital Charity has funded a selection of small assistive aids to support patients struggling with personal care or mobility tasks. These items include:

Patients who are medically fit for discharge often remain in hospital due to difficulties completing essential daily tasks independently. This is particularly true for individuals who live alone and have no informal support. Delays in discharge increase hospital bed occupancy and may lead to unnecessary referrals for care packages.

York & Scarborough Hospital Charity has funded a selection of small assistive aids to support patients struggling with personal care or mobility tasks. These items include:

Grabbers and reaches to assist with dressing and picking up objects out of reach, long-handled shoehorns to help prevent the need for bending when putting on shoes, sock aids enabling patients with reduced flexibility or strength to put on socks, bottom wipers (toileting aids) allowing independent personal hygiene, button hooks and zipper aids and bra aids which help patients fasten clothing without twisting or overstretching.

Patients are assessed by occupational therapy staff, trialled the devices on the ward, and were then provided with the suitable items to take home.

Kelly Beverage, Occupational Therapist said: “I was so grateful when our application for the aids got approval and we received the devices. It means we can physically assess patients, if the aids help, then we can discharge them, allowing for dignity and independence again.

“We have a divide of patients that have arthritis or hand injuries or has sustained a traumatic injury. For our patients whose lives have either gradually got to this point or suddenly, we are showing how these patients can cope at home. We do also see patients who would struggle to buy these aids. By having a stock of devices, it means that we can help those patients too.”

The introduction of these low‑cost aids led to improved independence with dressing, hygiene, and retrieval tasks. A reduction in the need for care packages, particularly for individuals living alone and faster, safer discharge, freeing up hospital beds sooner.

Small functional aids can significantly impact a patient’s ability to return home safely. By providing simple, low‑cost equipment at the point of discharge, hospitals can prevent avoidable delays, reduce demand on community care services, and promote patient independence.