When people get old, their reactions to changes in the outside world gradually become slower, and sometimes even disorderly. The turning of hot and cold water from the tape in the kitchen and bathroom may get mixed up and accidents may occur. Temperature displaying water taps is a good design. They show different colours according to different water temperatures.
In Hong Kong, rice containers are always placed underneath the stove or zinc basin as they are quite heavy. We need to bend down or squat in order to get rice for cooking at least once every day. It is no good for the back and the knee especially for elderly persons. It is also easy to knock the head against kitchen cabinets when rising. Buying rice measurement containers and placing them on the table, you can then need not bend or squat every day. These rice tanks have meter functions. As long as you press the button, you will have the required amount flowing out, which is very convenient.
It is not true that old people would not go inside the kitchen as they no longer cook. Elderly persons also want to cook for themselves. Besides, they may not find the food taken to them by community services or restaurants of their own appetite. Vegetable shredders can help them slice, chop and shred fruits and vegetables. Some vegetable shredders are even equipped with a soft grip edge for holding fruits and vegetables. Twisting fruits and vegetables against the sharp blade can enhance cutting back and forth, which saves time and effort. Even if the eyes and hands are no longer functioning well, we can still get the job done easily without hurting ourselves.
When vision becomes blurred and hand turns shaky, the most common accident among elderly persons who enjoy kitchen cooking is cutting theirfingers when chopping vegetables. You can buy finger protector for knife cutting at department stores or kitchen supply shops. This tool is small, clever and easy to use. Simply put the index finger and the middle finger in, like a shield, you can cut food as usual. The blade will only fall on the protective film, and will not touch the fingers.
Elderly people should avoid using ordinary knifes and fruit knifes as their finger joints are not flexible enough and it is easy for them to cut their hands. Switch to this kind of palm peeler as they do not need to directly contact the blade and it is easy to grasp the peeler. The design of the peeler helps them operate with the strength of the whole palm.
The pan holder helps make cooking with one hand so much easier. The wire frame of the pan holder holds the handle of a pot or pan while you stir the food inside with one hand. This is one of the ways to help reduce the impact of cooking on elderly persons who are suffering from Parkinson's disease or hand degradation or stroke. With a tool to keep the pot or pan in position, accidents arising from cooking due to trembling or instability of hands and feet can be avoided. However, this tool can only be used with the induction cooker, and is not yet available in the Hong Kong market. It has to be ordered from overseas for the time being.
Vegetable basket strainer can be operated by single hand. Water can be passed outside the strainer simply by pressing the turntable. This is particularly suitable for elderly persons who have suffered from stroke.
Kitchen knives should be properly kept and stored away. How to access the knives safely is important. There are different types and designs of knife holders on the market, though they serve the same purpose of providing different slots for different knives and allowing safe access to different knives at one glance.
To pay safe, it is always good to regularly ask qualified technicians to check gas devices at home. By installing CO alarms, even if there is slightest piping problem or burning-caused fire, the alarm will sound immediately when the extraordinary CO level is detected by its sensor. Installing CO alarms is a good decision especially for elderly persons who are weak in memory. However, CO alarms are different from smoke alarms. The gas sensors in Carbon Monoxide alarms have a limited and indeterminable life span.
Wellness mats are a premium anti-fatigue standing solution, medically proven to reduce fatigue form standing for a long period of time and so reduce foot, knee and back pain. It is perfect for home or workplace.
Opening gas-capped glass lids can be an annoying thing. It is most discouraging for people with decreased sensation and strength in their hands and wrists. With young and strong kids at home, things may become easy. However, it is common that elderly persons are left alone at home. So what should they do if they cannot open a glass lid? Jar and bottle openers can help and they are available at supermarkets. There is also a kind of Automatic Jar Bottle Opener or One Touch Opener Set. Capping accessories of the opener are placed on the glass lid. Press the button and the jar or bottle will automatically be opened. Go and purchase them from the internet!
These non-slip mats can be bought in grocery stores. They are multi-functional but are very inexpensive. They can be placed on a table to keep bowls, plates and cups in place like a mattress so that these loose items will not get tripped or slipped easily. When they are used as a non-slip grip opener, simply place the mat on the jar cover lid and twist. They are wonderful gifts for parents with shaky hands to make their daily lives so much easier and safer.
In the kitchen, things will become smoother and safer if kitchen items are orderly placed and are well stored according to our working process. Read about how to organize your kitchen necessities and plan accordingly. In the market, there are lots of kitchen storage items. A pull-type storage rack is highly recommended. Bottles of various seasonings are placed inside in the right categorization. Simply by pulling the desired slot, what you need is clearly visible and conveniently accessible. Please note that bottles storing dry items or miscellaneous grains should have a handle, or the bottles should provide a pit easy to grip.
The most dangerous thing to re-heat or steam food is to take hot food out from the hot steam. It is easy to get burn by hot steams, making us very worried about parents cooking at home. Hence, anti-burn clip is a necessity in a kitchen.
Forgetting that something is being cooked is the most common reason for home fire. It is so easy to forget that the heat is still on when we leave the kitchen to do something else while boiling a soup or making a meat stew. Cooking alarm is a must in kitchens. After the alarm is set, it will be automatically triggered when the time is up. It is a good way to remind ourselves to switch off the fire.
Elderly persons staying at home alone sometimes may want to eat something simple, such as pasta, congee or hot soup. However, problem arises when it comes to the pouring of the hot liquid into a container which is easy to handle and would not allow the food inside to be spilt over easily. Try bowls with handle and cover! You can buy them in home stores. The best is one with metallic inner-layer and plastic outside-layer as it would serve to keep and insulate the heat.
If there is a distance between the kitchen and the dining area, you should not allow your parents to walk to-and-fro with hot soups and dishes in their hands. Go to furniture stores or home stores, and buy them a home-use food trolley. They are available at department or furniture stores or custom-made for the whole family. From then on, all you need is to put all cooked food on the trolley and push it to the dining room. Safe!
This turning device consists of a circular section with spring-like plastic pins and a handle. The handle has a hole at each end. If used on keys, the turning knob operator eliminates pressure on fingers when the key is turned. If used on knobs, the turner is pushed onto the knob allowing the knob to sink into the plastic pins causing the knob to turn when turning the operator. The same theory also applies to the turning of cooking stove. The dial knobs on a cooking stove can be difficult to be turned to the exact position by an elderly person. If not turned properly, any leakage of gas may lead to fire. With turning knob operator, stove cooking will be much safer. This tool is not yet sold in Hong Kong. It may be acquired through online shopping.
Check out similar products on Amazon. Please click here.
