Important Safety Considerations for Your Elderly Loved One’s Kitchen

Home Care in North York

Keeping your aging parent safe is one of your most important priorities as a family caregiver. This is something that you must keep in mind throughout your day, both in the actions that you take and the way that you design and maintain your parent’s home environment. Identifying the safety risks that exist in the various areas of the home enables you to address them effectively so that you can support your aging parent in staying safe and healthy as they age in place. One of the places of the home that this is particularly impactful is the kitchen. This room contains many potential risks but is also a place where your parent can express their independence and manage important tasks, giving them an ongoing sense of autonomy and self-reliance.

Some of the important safety considerations for your elderly loved one in their kitchen include:

• Keep sharp implements out of reach. Knives, meat forks, and other sharp implements can be dangerous for elderly adults, particularly those who are dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, another form of dementia, arthritis, or limited mobility in their hands. Consider storing these out of reach and only bring them out when your parent has proper support and assistance in the kitchen
• Prevent spills off of the stove. Help prevent food or hot water from smiling out of pots and pans on the stove by keeping the handles turned in toward the center of the stove. Position them on the side of your parent’s dominant hand so that they are easier to access
• Clean up grease spills quickly. With spattering, stirring, and pouring it is easy to spill grease on the stove. This, however, can be extremely dangerous. Even a small amount of grease can ignite when it comes into contact with heat, potentially leading to a fire. If you notice any grease on the stove, turn off the heat and clean it promptly. Make cleaning large grease spills easier by pouring baking soda over them. This absorbs the grease so you can more easily remove it from the surface without spreading it around.

If you are concerned about your aging parent’s safety as they age in place or simply feel that they would benefit from more varied care and support, starting home care for them might be the ideal solution. An in-home senior care services provider can create an approach to care, support, and assistance specifically designed to address your loved one’s individual needs while encouraging as much independence, autonomy, and fulfillment as possible. When it comes to helping them stay safer, this care provider can evaluate their home to identify potential risks and hazards, take steps to remediate those risks, such as keeping potentially dangerous items out of reach, and modify or handle tasks that might be too challenging for your parent so that they are handled properly, safely, and healthily. This can give you tremendous peace of mind while also helping your parent to maintain a greater sense of self-reliance and ability to live the lifestyle that they want.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in North York, contact the caring professionals at Staff Relief Health Care 24/7 at 905.709.1767.