Imagine you want to make your special chocolate chip cookies this Christmas. From kneading the dough to baking the cookies, you promised to do everything. But deep down, you fear that something may and will go wrong if you do it alone because you have been a little forgetful lately.
You worry you’ll get busy doing something else only to hear the smoke detector blaring and smoke pouring out of the oven. But you can’t take back your words now that you promised everyone. In this case, the best thing to do is to buy a kitchen timer. That would refresh your memory as soon as the timer starts to ring.
In fact, kitchen timers for elderly folks are not just for those who are coping with dementia or might be a little forgetful. They are also an excellent gift for seniors who are hard of hearing. But you need to select kitchen timers that ring repeatedly and loudly.
Do you know that almost 50 million people in the world have dementia? In fact, there are approximately 10 million new cases every year. The statistics are not so great for senior citizens with hearing impairments also. There are over 466 million people who are hard of hearing and the cases grow exponentially every year. If these statistics shock you, then you should learn the importance of using kitchen timers.
Helpful Kitchen Timers for Dementia and Hard of Hearing
If you are wondering what options you have in the market, here’s a list of kitchen timers that are perfect for senior citizens. These kitchen timers are loud and keep ringing so that you can bake those cookies to perfection.
General Tools TI150 3-in-1 Kitchen Timer
This kitchen timer comes with a huge display and a loud alarm. The sound is so loud that you can literally hear it from two floors above, making it an ideal timer for the elderly with dementia or hearing issues. In fact, the large buttons are also helpful for those who don’t have the best eyesight.
There is also a multiple time setter where you can set intervals according to your recipes. For example, when a special ingredient needs to be added at a critical time. This alarm will remind you to add it. You can specify how many minutes and even seconds until the next alarm should go off.
In addition to multiple timers, there’s also a red flasher that indicates the onset of the beeper. If you see the red light flashing it means an alarm is about to go off. It immediately reminds you that time is up. This way, seniors who cook can stay on top of the entire process.
Digital Buzz and Beep Timer
Polder’s Digital Buzz and Beep Timer is a godsend for senior citizens with hearing issues as it is one of the loudest kitchen timers available right now. If you are hard of hearing, then this should be the best timer for cooking purposes. With a big display, you can see the time left until the alarm starts ringing.
It also comes with both beep and vibration alerts. If you don’t want to listen to the loud noise of the alarm, you can turn the volume off and only use the vibrating feature. But it’s best not to use this feature exclusively as you may be elsewhere and forget about the timer’s vibration. You could carry it in your pocket though.
This kitchen timer also comes with a 100-hour countdown and 30-second alarm. These short-interval alarms are ideal when it comes to cooking. You can also use the hourly alarms to remember to take medicines.
Another reason why this is a highly-rated timer is it provides a memory function that instantly recalls your last setting. If you don’t want to set the timers manually every time, make the most of its memory function to set the intervals while cooking.
Sper Scientific Compact Visual and Audible Alarm Timer (810040)
The Sper Scientific 810040 Compact Visual and Audible Alarm Timer is one of those timers that you would need as a dementia or hearing impairment patient to ensure that your cooking is just fine. Its built-in alarm timer is loud enough for up to level-3 hearing loss issues.
The only drawback that you may find is it only provides countdowns for minutes and seconds. There’s no option for an hourly setup. That means you can only use it for cooking purposes and not as a reminder for taking medicines like the other timers.
The LED screen and clips at the back work perfectly though. You can use the clips to attach the timer to your pocket so that it reminds you of your cooking times wherever you go around the house.
Uigos Digital Kitchen Timer II 2.0
Loud alarm, big digits, magnetic backing, and fixed stand – these are some of the standout features of Uigos 2-Pack Digital Kitchen Timer II 2.0, making it one of the most useful and practical kitchen timers for the elderly. If you are not so tech-savvy and want a kitchen timer that you can understand just by looking at the buttons, then this is the one you should buy.
The alarm is super-loud and the digits are so big that you can see them from a distance. Moreover, it is one of the few kitchen timers that come with an on/off switch. This won’t consume the timer’s battery and would last for years if you use it only for a couple of hours throughout the day.
Another unique feature is its ability to fast-forward time. You can press and hold the minute or second button to fast-forward time so that you can set your alarm intervals quickly.
HOME MOST 3″ Large Display Kitchen Timer
Home Most’s Kitchen timer is almost a replica of the above kitchen timer. There is a huge display that allows you to see the countdown timer from across the kitchen. Moreover, the loud beeping alarm keeps reminding you what to add when while cooking. The high-pitched alarm is audible from at least 10 to 15 meters.
It also comes with a magnetic back. You don’t need to carry it around or keep it on any shelf in your kitchen. Just stick it on your refrigerator and set the time while cooking. The battery backup is sufficient to last for years.
Plus, there is an on/off switch for you to turn off the device when you don’t need it. The only shortcoming of this timer is it doesn’t have a flashing light. It won’t indicate the onset of the alarm.
Antonki Kitchen Timer
This is one of the best-selling kitchen timers for the elderly. The functions are easy to understand and the alarm is loud enough to hear from almost any corner of your house. Whether it’s cookies, burgers, or steaks, a timer is essential if you want to make the most delicious recipe. And this one is ideal for senior citizens who want to improve their safety while cooking.
If you want to surprise everyone with your traditional cookie recipe, don’t forget to buy this timer. It will remind you when you need to add chocolate chips or take the cookies out from the oven. The huge display lets you see the timer even if you are far away from the device. You can even pause the timer in the middle of a recipe so that you can taste the dish and let it cook for some more time.
The Bottom Line
Elders with dementia or hearing impairments may think that they can’t cook anymore. But that’s not the case at all. Just make sure that you have an overall kitchen safety plan in place that takes into account the senior’s level of function and re-evaluate it periodically.
If you are determined to feed everyone your delicious recipes, then get one of these kitchen timers right away. They can make a huge difference when it comes to cooking or even reminding you to take your medicines on time.
