Spending time in the kitchen serves the basic function of preparing healthy food to eat, but for many, it’s also a source of enjoyment and the center of social activities in the home.
Over the years, cooking and spending time in the kitchen can become more difficult. Loss of vision, strength, and balance can turn navigating the kitchen into a struggle. Arthritis pain can interfere with simple tasks. Changes in memory can even make the kitchen a confusing or dangerous place.
Especially for older adults who live alone or with one other adult, meal prep in the face of physical challenges becomes a hassle barely worth undertaking.
There are ways to get back into the kitchen and safely enjoy cooking again as an older adult, though. Some simple tips and hacks can improve these challenges and even encourage social interaction around cooking again.
Overcoming Barriers in the Kitchen
Sometimes the easiest solution to improve the kitchen experience for an older adult is to remove common barriers that make cooking more difficult as a person ages. If you’re a caregiver, you might not even be aware of how much the older adult in your life is struggling to perform basic kitchen tasks. Let’s look at some trouble spots that can be improved.
Adaptive kitchen tools & tricks
Difficulties with vision, reaching for items, and grip strength can all interfere with cooking. Thankfully, there are easy adaptations that you can make:
Kitchen utensils
Look for items with large handles, or grips designed to slide over handles that make them easier to grasp. Double-handled pots, pans, cups, mugs, and other kitchen items can be much easier to carry, and safer to manage this way if they’re filled with a hot liquid. Weighted utensils can help people with Parkinson’s tremors control what they’re holding better.
Helpful tools
Jar openers, an electric can opener, rocking knives for chopping, lever-style sink handles, a food processor, non-slip mats for holding mixing bowls in place, and a grabber to reach faraway items can all improve the ease of tasks that require grip strength an older adult might have difficulty with.
You can also use everyday tools you already have in creative ways to make tasks easier. A pizza cutter works just fine on pancakes or waffles. A melon baller can scoop seeds out of peppers. A measuring cup can help you transfer water to a pot, instead of filling the pot and carrying it.
Caregiver help
Having a caregiver available to help can make the kitchen more accessible, too. This doesn’t have to mean an older adult gives up all their independence in the kitchen. A caregiver can assist with moving heavy pots or baking dishes, and tasks like peeling fruits or vegetables if it’s just a little too much to manage. Not only does this allow an older adult to participate in cooking, but it’s also an opportunity for companionship as well.
Organization strategies
Along with new tools and utensils, changing the way the kitchen is organized can make a big difference in how accessible the kitchen is. This is an area you can get creative with, by taking your limitations into account and using the following suggestions where appropriate.
Move items within reach
If balance is a concern, overextending to reach for items can be dangerous and can at the very least discourage an older adult from spending time in the kitchen.
Think about commonly used items in cabinets and move them to lower shelves. Make sure appliances like the mixer and microwave are on counters, not up on shelves. Consider a refrigerator that is side-by-side or has a freezer on the bottom, which puts many frequently-used items at eye level instead of bending and reaching.
Clearly label items to avoid confusion or mix-ups due to poor vision
Memory and vision problems can both make the kitchen harder to navigate. There are some simple hacks you can use that will help overcome both of these challenges.
Re-label items like spices with hand-written, large print labels. Use bright colored tape on knife handles to avoid accidentally grabbing the blade. Label the outside of each cabinet for ease in finding contents.
Use large-print measuring tools and cookbooks. Hang pot holders where they are easy to find. If the refrigerator has an “open door” alarm, be sure it’s set to alert users that the door has accidentally been left ajar. Puffy paint can be used to mark the “off” position on the stove knobs so an older adult with poor vision can make sure they are lined up correctly when they’re done cooking.
Kitchen Safety for Older Adults
Falls, burns, cuts, and kitchen fires are all common safety concerns for older adults. It’s important to give the following safety tips special attention.
General safety tips
- Add extra lighting to the kitchen for better visibility
- Clean up spills immediately
- Keep a regular cleaning schedule to reduce bacteria on surfaces that can cause illness, especially in older adults with compromised immune systems
- Choose plastic over glass when possible to avoid the potential hazard of broken glass
- Don’t use rugs in the kitchen- they are a trip hazard
- Don’t use step stools to reach items
- Make sure the water heater isn’t set above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 1
Kitchen fire safety tips
Cooking fires are responsible for 49% of house fires each year in the US. 2 And even without a fire, burns are a serious concern for older adults who may react slower to fire and heat hazards in the kitchen. Keep these safety tips in mind:
- Don’t use the stove if you have taken any medications that make you drowsy, or are under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Don’t leave the stovetop unattended
- Cook on the back burners if possible, and always turn pan handles away from you
- Use a lid or splash guard/screen to avoid hot oil splatters while frying
- Always set alarms to remind you to check on food
- Keep flammable items like pot holders, food packaging, towels, and curtains away from the stove
- Don’t wear loose or long-sleeved clothing while cooking
- Keep the stove and burners clean of buildup or residue
- Never try to put out a grease fire with water
- Cover burning pans with a lid if possible and leave covered until cooled
- Make sure you have smoke detectors and check them monthly to be sure they are working
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen area
- If a fire is out of control, leave the house and call 911. More than half of non-fatal kitchen fire injuries each year are caused by people trying to put out a fire on their own. 3
Using technology in the kitchen for safety
With modern technology comes advances that can improve kitchen safety for older adults. Consider these options:
- Stove shutoff timers that can be pre-set
- The FireAvert, which interacts with your existing smoke detector to shut off the stove in the event of an alarm
- Motion detectors that will turn the stove off if you move too far away, including smart monitoring systems like the iGuardStove, which can send caregivers alerts and allows remote access to safety settings
- Motion-activated lighting that improves visibility in the kitchen
- Voice-controlled smart appliances can increase your mobility and reduce falls in the kitchen– virtually! (Think about turning on and off appliances from across the room.)
Making Healthy Eating Choices
Last but not least, as an older adult, it’s important to make healthy eating choices while you’re in the kitchen preparing meals. Think about these food and cooking tips:
- Talk to your doctor about the healthiest diet plan for you- Conditions like heart disease and diabetes often require special attention to diet choices. Does your doctor recommend low-carb, low-sugar foods? Should you restrict your sodium intake? Always follow your doctor’s recommendations when planning a menu.
- Cook extra portions and save them for later- it can be hard to scale meals down to one or two servings sizes anyway, and if cooking is labor intensive for you, freezing leftovers gives you simple options to reheat later so you don’t skip meals or reach for pre-packaged substitutes, which are usually high in sodium.
- Consider a grocery delivery service- if getting to the store is challenging, it can reduce the number of fresh fruits and vegetables you are able to keep on hand. Grocery delivery can help solve this issue.
Making the kitchen enjoyable again
By using the kitchen tips and hacks discussed above, you can enjoy cooking again as an older adult, and stay safer and healthier while maintaining your independence in the kitchen.
One last thing to keep in mind: if spending time in the kitchen is an important goal for you, there are many ways a professional in-home caregiver can help you reach that goal. From helping in the kitchen with basic tasks and safety to assisting with transportation for grocery shopping, a caregiver is a valuable resource for older adults aging in place who require extra help with activities of daily living.
If you are interested in learning more about in-home caregiving, Caresify’s expert team is available to answer your questions and help you maintain your independence at home. You can read more here, or call 888-799-5007.
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