01
Why assistive devices matter
Assistive devices can make life at home safer, more independent and less demanding. They can support walking, transferring, washing, dressing, eating, positioning, monitoring and orientation. Some compensate for a limitation; others make care easier or reduce risks such as falls and pressure injuries.
The aim is not to collect as much equipment as possible. A useful device solves a specific everyday problem and fits the person, the task and the home environment. A rollator, shower stool or care bed only helps when it is suitable, correctly adjusted and used with confidence.
The best device is not the one with the most features. It is the one that safely supports a real activity in everyday life.
Needs change after a hospital stay, a fall, an operation or a decline in strength. Existing equipment should therefore be reviewed when the care situation changes.
02
Identify and organise needs
Start with the situation rather than a product name. Which activity is no longer safe? What does the person avoid? Where do relatives have to lift, hold or improvise? Observing daily routines makes it easier to describe the actual goal.
- Getting up from a bed, chair or toilet
- Walking safely indoors or outdoors
- Washing, showering and using the toilet
- Eating, drinking and handling medication
- Positioning, skin protection, continence and wound care
- Orientation, communication and calling for help
- Reducing physically demanding tasks for caregivers
The Homecare Assistant catalogue groups typical solutions into 15 areas: care beds and positioning; mobility; transfers; bathroom and personal care; eating and drinking; continence; hygiene and skin protection; medication, monitoring and therapy; safety and emergency calls; living and daily activities; cognition and communication; breathing and inhalation; wound care and pressure injury prevention; dressing; and transport outside the home.
03
Choose, test and adjust
A device must work in the real setting. Body size, strength, mobility, vision, cognition and ability to operate it matter, as do door widths, thresholds, floor surfaces and available space. Advice may come from a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, care adviser or specialist supplier.
- Define the precise goal before choosing a product
- Check fit, adjustment and safe operation
- Test it in the places where it will be used
- Ask whether a trial or loan is possible
- Arrange instruction for everyone involved
- Know whom to contact about defects, pressure points or difficulties
After delivery, practise the actual movements together. Pain, pressure marks, uncertainty or near misses are reasons to stop and request another assessment or adjustment.
04
Clarify prescriptions, applications and costs
In Germany, responsibility may lie with different payers depending on the purpose. Statutory health insurance may cover medically necessary aids, while long-term care insurance may cover equipment that facilitates home care, relieves symptoms or supports a more independent life. The health or long-term care insurance fund can clarify an uncertain allocation.
A medical prescription is often required for health-insurance provision. Before buying privately, ask whether approval is needed, whether contracted suppliers must be used and whether the equipment will be loaned. Additional features that are not medically necessary can result in extra and follow-on costs.
Do not rush into a private purchase: describe the need, seek professional advice and clarify the correct route with the relevant insurer first.
Official information in German (checked July 2026)
05
Use safely and review regularly
Keep instructions, training details and supplier contacts accessible. Check brakes, fasteners, rubber feet, straps, cables and other safety-relevant parts regularly. Plan cleaning, replacement parts and consumables rather than waiting for them to run out.
- Have heights, handles and seating adjusted correctly
- Practise with every person involved in care
- Keep routes and standing areas clear
- Report defects or unusual noises promptly
- Reassess after a fall, hospital stay or major change in condition
Bed rails, restraints and some monitoring or tracking solutions need particular care. Benefits, risks, consent and any legal requirements must be clarified professionally rather than treating them as ordinary safety accessories.
