Let’s face it. No matter how much you prepare, there will be a time when your parents or your grandparents will become old and unable to perform basic tasks.
With most working families, it is difficult to keep an eye on their elderlies at every moment but there are a few ways in which you can ensure your seniors’ safety.
Here, we have listed down 10 amazing kitchen safety tips for seniors you can start implementing today.
Make Your Kitchen Doorways and Hallways Wider
Make your kitchen more accessible to your senior family members by making your kitchen doorways and hallways wider.
This will make it easier for people who use wheelchairs or crutches to move around. It will also reduce injuries and accidents.
Apart from that, your kitchen will look more spacious, too. It will provide you with more space to cook conveniently and peacefully.
Install Easy-to-Hold Handles on Cabinets and Doors
While the previous design would need a little remodeling, this next kitchen design can be easily implemented without any major remodeling.
Senior members often find it hard to grab door knobs or cabinet knobs due to weak muscles or arthritis. You can simply install new door knobs and handles that are non-slippery and convenient to use.
If handles are too much work, then you can simply remove the cabinet and hallway doors to make it easier for the seniors to access the kitchen.
Place Your Dishwasher at an Adequate Height
Another effective way to make your kitchen senior-friendly is by ensuring that you place your dishwasher at a counter which won’t require too much bending. Many seniors have back problems which make it tough for them to bend and use the dishwasher.
Also, keep it at a height so that it is easily accessible to those who are in a wheelchair. You don’t want your senior family members to have a hard time using a basic dishwasher for their utensils.
Get Rid of Rugs or Carpets to Allow Easy Movement
Rugs and carpets can be a recipe for disaster if you have elderly members in your house who use a wheelchair or have a walking problem. They can end up tripping on the carpets or the rugs or might find their wheelchair stuck.
So, get rid of your rugs/carpets and let the floor be obstacle-free. It’ll make it easier for them to move around at their own pace.
Add Bright Lights to Make the Kitchen More Visible
When you get old, your eyes become slightly weaker and you start having trouble seeing things clearly.
This is why it is important that you install enough bright lights in your kitchen and surrounding areas to make it easier for seniors to move around. These lights will help them find their way around the kitchen and will make it easier for them to use it without any accidents.
Also Read: 5 Reasons To Get Over Your Kitchen Insecurities
Install Automatic Turn-Off Appliances in Your Kitchen
Instead of worrying about seniors burning the house down or leaving appliances turned on, find ones that have an automatic turn-off feature. This way, you won’t keep worrying about their safety.
And like your appliances, even your faucet can automatically turn-off considering you use a touchless faucet. These faucets are not just top picks because of their stylish looks and designs but utility as well.
Make Your Countertops Easily Accessible
A lot of homes have countertops which are too high for people in a wheelchair to access. This can pose a problem for you if you live with seniors using one.
So, to make it easier for them to access the countertop, ensure that you install it at the right height.
Also, remember to make your countertops easily distinguishable by adding a different color to its edges. This differentiation will make it easier for weak and tired eyes to spot the kitchen things.
Non-Skid Floors Can Minimize Injuries
Do you have marble flooring in your kitchen? If yes, then you have to find a way to make it non-skid so that it doesn’t cause any injuries to your seniors.
Marble and tiled floors are often slippery and can be dangerous for seniors who have a walking disability.
If you don’t wish to come home and see your family sprawled out on the kitchen floor, get skid-resistant flooring in your kitchen. Another way could be to add rugs to the floor which are anti-skid so that your seniors won’t accidentally fall down.
Place Railings and Hand Bars Wherever Possible
Now, this might feel like a hindrance to you but this discomfort is a small price to pay for your family’s safety. You can add a few hand bars and railings to your kitchen hallways or the stairways near your kitchen to make it easier for your elderly family members to move.
You can also add these hand bars near the kitchen island. Sometimes, counters can be slippery which is where these railings and handlebars can come handy.
Purchase Built-In Appliances for Safe Use
Who doesn’t like to save some space and make their kitchen more convenient and useful? I certainly do and if you agree with me, then you are definitely going to like this kitchen design idea.
Instead of storing appliances on your countertop, get built-in appliances to save space and make your kitchen safer for use. You can get several built-in appliances like ovens and microwaves with easy-to-use buttons. Install them at a height which is accessible to your seniors.
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