Six Things to Change in a Kitchen to Make Your Parents’ Lives Easier

Falls are more likely to occur in a bedroom or bathroom, but a kitchen can be another problem area for older adults. Lower the risk of a fall and make daily chores easier for your parents by making these six changes to their kitchen.

Rearrange Items to Keep Frequently Used Items in Reach

Keep your parents from climbing up on chairs or stools to reach items. Put anything they frequently use on the counter, lower cabinets, or lower shelves. Things they rarely use, such as the turkey platter they use once a year for Thanksgiving, can go on higher shelves.

Add Easy to Grab Handles

If your mom or dad has a hard time opening a cupboard or drawer, find out why. Sometimes, the handles are too narrow to grasp. It could also be that there are no handles. Adding handles or choosing wider, rounded handles will make it easier for your parents.

Look Into Slide Out Trays and Drawers

Instead of having to bend over or squat down to reach the back of a cupboard, look into slide-out trays and pull-out drawers. Your parents can pull a tray or drawer to them to locate pots and pans, lids, storage containers, and food items.

Install Non-Slip Flooring

Tile, linoleum, and wood flooring are slippery. If it’s wet, it can be dangerous. Look into non-slip vinyl flooring instead. While it looks like natural wood, its vinyl surface isn’t slippery. Plus, it’s waterproof, resists scratches, and won’t get moldy or mildewy.

Consider Smart Appliances

Do you worry about whether your parents have remembered to turn off the oven when they’re done cooking? Would it be handy to check if they have milk before you head to their house? Smart appliances can help.

There are stoves with apps that allow you to turn them off and on through your phone. A smart fridge can have cameras that will enable you to look inside and check that items are in stock and not past date.

Purchase Ergonomic Kitchen Tools

Does arthritis make it hard for your mom or dad to grasp cooking utensils, pans, and handles? Look into ergonomic kitchen tools. If the grip on a knife is rounded and larger than on a traditional one, it can make it easier for your parent to hold the knife correctly.

You might find that replacing some tools with small appliances is even handier than kitchen cutlery. Your dad has a hard time holding a carrot to grate it. A food processor that can mince, grate, chop, and finely slice may benefit him.

Senior home care services include meal preparation, housekeeping, and organization if desired. These three services can make it easier for your parents to eat nutritious meals, keep the kitchen clean, and reduce the fall risk. Call a specialist in senior home care to schedule these services from area caregivers.