Kitchen Safety for Seniors

As your loved ones age they must make certain lifestyle changes to ensure their safety. The kitchen can be a source of nightmares for you. A burner could be left on, causing a fire. Cluttered kitchens can lead to falls and broken bones. And improper food safety can cause food borne illnesses. There are several things you can do, however, to ensure the safety of your loved ones in their kitchen.

Stovetop Safety

Burners and stoves can be an area of particular concern. Forgetful folks are known to turn on the stove and walk away. They may mean to boil water or cook with a skillet and forget all about it.

Stovetop solutions

There are homes which have removed the burners to prevent risk of fire. Additionally, there are devices which automatically shut the burners off after a certain time.

Cookware and Clutter

As your loved ones age, they may lose strength and be unable to lift some of the cookware they once could. That perfectly seasoned cast-iron skillet may simply get too heavy. Additionally, A cluttered kitchen could pose a fall risk.

Cookware Ideas

You need to take your loved one’s cookware into account. Cookware should be lightweight and made of something other than glass. This will prevent them dropping a dish full of food or a heavy, hot pan. Dishes with two handles are always preferred.

Clutter Concerns

In general, you want your kitchen to be free of clutter. This will go a long way in preventing falls. Ensuring that all difficult to reach cabinets are not used will also help. Many of us have enough trouble reaching the top shelf even without balance issues or increased fall risks. You also want to ensure the kitchen is well lit, so your loved ones have no trouble navigating.

Preventing Food-borne Illness

Assisting your loved one in cleaning the kitchen will also go a long way in preventing foodborne illnesses. You may want to set up a date to visit with your loved one and assist in cleaning. This can be a great bonding experience as well.

Clean That Fridge!

You will want to assist your loved one in cleaning the fridge as well. They may forget how long an item has been in there and eat something which has gone bad. Providing containers which can be sealed. Consider assisting you loved one with writing dates on the containers as well.

Kitchen Safety Guides

Aging is not an easy process. Your loved ones need to get used to the fact that they are no longer able to do things as easily as they once could. By using the following guides, you may ensure they stay independent for as long as possible.