Kitchen Safety for Seniors

Kitchen Safety for Seniors to Prevent Fall and Improve Wellbeing

Preventing falls in the kitchen and following good food safety will keep your loved ones in good health.  Kitchen safety for seniors comes in several different aspects.  The most important is addressing any fall risks in the kitchen and making the day to day use of the kitchen for meal prep for the senior efficient.  

Kitchen Safety Tips

There are three key areas to address kitchen safety for seniors.  First, reducing fire hazards and other general risks in the kitchen.  Second, ensure food safety to avoid eating something that will get the elderly individual sick.  Lastly, lower the chance of falling in the kitchen by simplifying the workspaces and eliminating the need for stools or step ladders.

Reduce General Risks and Fire Hazards

Accidental fires are preventable through proper kitchen safety.  Avoid an incident from an improperly stored knife or chopping and preparing in dimly lit areas.

• Store knives, scissors, and sharp utensils safely in drawers
• Maintain good lighting in the kitchen areas.  Avoid preparing food in low-light areas of the kitchen
• Check smoke detectors in the kitchen area to ensure they are in good working order.
• Keep dish towels and potholders stored away from close proximity to the stove burners so they will not brush against the burner.
• Install a small hand-held fire extinguisher in an easy-to-access location and make sure the senior knows where it is and how to operate it.  Check the expiration date on an existing kitchen fire extinguisher.
• Remind your loved one to roll their sleeves up when cooking.  If a loose long sleeve shirt brushes against a burner, it will quickly catch fire.

Prevents Falls in the Kitchen

Slips and falls are the leading cause of injuries for seniors, many of these happen in and around the kitchen.

• Add non slip mats in front of the sink and stove and even the prep area.  These will soak up any water that may fall and provide additional stability to reduce a fall from happening.
• Adjust the contents of the kitchen cabinets so that frequently used items are located in the easiest places.
• Do not use upper cabinets, these encourage the need for a stool or step ladder, which dramatically increases fall risks.
• Encourage your loved one to wear skid-free footwear in the kitchen.  Wearing slippery-soled shoes or going barefoot in the kitchen with tile flooring is a recipe for disaster.
• Add a motion detection nightlight in the kitchen so if the senior goes to get a drink of water at night, lights automatically come on making it easy to see where they are going.
• Replace breakable plates and glasses with unbreakable dinner plates and glasses to avoid injury and the need for cleanup if a plate or glass slips out of their hand.

Food Safety for Seniors

Proper food storage is not something to overlook.  Elderly individuals may succumb to food-borne diseases much easier than younger adults.

• Add an automatic shut-off device like a Cook Stop to turn off the stove if no one is in the kitchen for a period of time.
• Confirm the refrigerator temperature is set at 40 degrees or below to keep dairy, meats, and perishables safe.
• Use a pen in the kitchen to write the date of purchase on perishable items that will be stored in the fridge such as milk or other items that have hard-to-read expiration dates on them.
• Periodically check the fridge for bad products or old food items that need to be removed.
• Check pantries for old food items such as cereal boxes or other items that have passed their best-by dates.
• Keep hand washing soap readily available for preparation.
• Follow best practices for safe food consumption and refrigeration.

Organizing the Kitchen for Safety

When organizing the kitchen for senior safety consider what is placed where.  Keeping the most commonly used items in low, close proximity drawers and cupboards eliminates the need for assistance from a step ladder.  Plates, bowls, and glasses should be at the eye-to-chest level to avoid reaching or bending over.

Consider a lazy Susan for commonly used items when cooking to avoid needing to move around back and forth while cooking.  Placing salt, pepper, olive oil, and other common cooking ingredients for your loved one right next to the stove helps keep the kitchen efficient.  The less the senior has to shuffle back and forth in the kitchen the less likely they are to have an accident and fall.

Remodel Cabinets for Seniors

There are many storage ideas that improve the safety of the kitchen for seniors.  The following are a few of the most popular storage ideas for elderly individuals that want an efficient kitchen.

• Lazy Susan – Holds many items and spins around making each item reachable.  Great for spices and commonly used dry goods items.
• Full Extension Slide Shelving – Utilize all of the space of a drawer with these extending shelves to see and access the front to the back of a drawer.
• Sliding Wire Organizers – stack plates, bowls, cups, and more on racks that fit inside of cabinets and fully pull out.
• Pull Down Shelves – The only real solution for using upper cabinets in a kitchen for seniors.  These shelves extend down bringing the contents of the upper cabinets to eye level.