7 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Senior-Friendly
Preparing and cooking meals in the kitchen can support a healthy diet and help seniors practice independence. Yet kitchens have many potential dangers, from sharp knives and tall cabinets to hot stove elements and more. Establishing a senior-friendly kitchen can help your aging loved one feel more confident while preparing food and help you achieve peace of mind.
The following list of ways to make your kitchen senior-friendly doesn’t require a huge, expensive overhaul. Instead, you can easily adjust certain features to better assist seniors as they prepare food. Right at Home Boston and North caregivers can also help establish a safe environment, assisting seniors in planning and preparing meals, performing light housekeeping (including in the kitchen), and accomplishing other tasks of daily living.
7 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Senior-Friendly
The primary goal of making your kitchen senior-friendly is to minimize reaching and bending, de-clutter the space, clear pathways, and improve accessibility. Use the following seven tips to help make your senior’s kitchen safer.
1. Install Non-Slip Flooring
Carpet isn’t typically installed in the kitchen, but that’s not to say the installed flooring doesn't turn slippery when wet. Invest in non-slip flooring that’s safe when wet to prevent falls. Extending the non-slip flooring to the dining area can also help seniors avoid slipping and falling as they sit down to eat.
2. Place Utensils and Cookware at Waist Level
Storing commonly used items too high or too low can potentially put seniors in unsafe circumstances. Opt instead for waist-level storage that doesn’t require a lot of bending or twisting.
3. Invest in a Hands-Free Faucet
Freeing our hands while cooking can present a challenge, regardless of age. Hands-free faucets make the job easy and help seniors use their hands to steady themselves as they prepare meals or clean up afterward. Seniors unable to easily grip objects due to arthritis or other conditions can also benefit from hands-free faucets.
4. Choose Drawers Instead of Doors
Although opening a drawer instead of a door may seem more challenging, it’s often easier for seniors to access items if they’re stored in a pull-out drawer rather than on traditional shelves. Drawers can also improve the accessibility and usefulness of corner storage.
5. Install Additional Lighting
Our eyesight often suffers as we age, but additional lighting can help illuminate our environment. When hot surfaces and sharp knives are involved, seeing better is always a positive.
6. Opt For a Shallow Sink
Shallow sinks, especially those with rounded edges, can help prevent seniors from stooping over as they prepare meals. It’s also easier for most seniors to lift or lower something a few inches.
7. Purchase Senior-Friendly Appliances
Senior-friendly appliances incorporate larger knobs and text and have longer handles for multiple gripping points. The best senior-friendly appliances also have an automatic shut-off feature to minimize dangerous situations.
Right at Home Boston and North: Keeping Local Seniors Safe
Right at Home caregivers make it their personal mission to look after Boston and North seniors as if they were family. Our care services extend beyond the kitchen to help seniors tackle multiple struggles as they age. The following blog posts are just a few examples of the resources we provide:
If you’d like to learn more about Right at Home Boston and North's senior home care services, contact us to schedule a free consultation. We’re happy to answer any questions you have and incorporate your needs into a personalized care plan that fits your lifestyle.
