Kitchen Aids

Keeping Your Kitchen Safe

This dreaded coronavirus pandemic has created some potential issues. Wow was that an understatement!! Unfortunately, this means with restaurants closed or under severe restrictions more folks have been forced to cook and prepare meals at home. Common sense would dictate that this can increase the amount of kitchen accidents that can occur, especially for those with limited mobility or are aging. Nothing will ruin your day more than hazards in the kitchen. We here at HPFY can give you some helpful tips to make your time in the kitchen safer and tastier.

Potential Dangers

Our kitchens can be one of the happiest rooms in the home. This is where family meals are prepared and hunger pains get squashed. Unfortunately, there are some potential hazards that we may not even know about lurking in our kitchens. Now that we are spending more time in our kitchens than ever before due to the coronavirus, understanding what potential hazards may be lurking is important. Some obvious kitchen perils include:

• Burns
• Fires
• Cuts/Lacerations
• Bacteria
• Slips/Falls

In order to avoid these dangers and keep your kitchen safe, what are some easy ways to ensure that nothing catastrophic happens in our kitchens? While some of the answers to this question may seem basic and simple common sense, others may be a little more obtuse. If you want to create a safer kitchen environment try following some of these simple guidelines:

• Dress Appropriately: When cooking, try not to wear loose baggy clothing, tie up longhair, and try to eliminate loose jewelry. This can minimize the accidental ignition of clothing or hair and avoiding potential burns.
• Potholders: Always keep potholders nearby to avoid burning yourself, but not to close that they are in danger of catching fire on the stove. This can be particularly dangerous for electric stovetops that can accidentally be turned on.
• Turn Your Pot Handles: By turning your pot handles away from the front of the stove you can minimize the risk of children grabbing them or the “chef” accidentally knocking into them. This can reduce the risk of burns two little ones and adults alike.
• Don’t Keep Food Out: Certain raw foods should not be left out on the kitchen counter in order to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination. Raw meat, fish, and even dairy products should be refrigerated or frozen ASAP.
• Clean Spills: To avoid accidental slips and falls, be sure to clean up any spill immediately so that anyone around the stove has sure footing.
• Fire Extinguishers: This is an item you would rather have and not need than need and not have. Having the correct fire extinguisher in your kitchen can help prevent serious damage in the kitchen in the event of a fire.

Safety Items

In order to create a safe environment in the kitchen, there are some simple aids that can help you. Especially as we age and may be a little less stable on our feet, we need a little more help making our kitchens safe. For a safer kitchen, try these 7 aids (especially those with limited mobility):

• Norco FeatherLite Reacher with Ergonomic Handle and Magnet: Instead of reaching for something out of our grasp, use this ergonomically designed reacher to safely grasp your intended item or pick up something metal with the magnet.
• Hi Side Dish: When eating, this dish features a nonskid bottom to ensure that it stays where it’s supposed to. No sliding away from you!! It makes scooping easier and can minimize food spillage, while being BPA, phthalates, and latex free. Dishwasher and microwave safe for convenience.
• Maddak Closed Cell Foam Tubing for Gripping Ability: An easy way to build up handles for an improved grip, these foam tubes can make cooking in the kitchen safer and easier for those with diminished fine motor skills. They are lightweight, latex free, and can be put in the dishwasher for easy cleaning and sanitation.
• Kinsman Ergonomic Cut-out Nosey Cup: For those with limited mobility of their head, this textured cup with a cutout for the nose allows for a more secure grip for drinking without having to tilt the user’s head. It is translucent in order to track liquid intake and is dishwasher safe up to 180° while being BPA, phthalates, and latex free.
• Insulated Mug with Lid: Able to keep cold beverages cold for 12 hours and hot beverages hot for six hours, this insulated mug can be used with or without the lid. When used with the lid it regulates the flow of liquid making it safer for the user. This can avoid accidental burns and spills that can become a hazard.
• Swedish One-Handed Food Preparation Cutting Board: One potential danger in the kitchen is cutting yourself. This can be an increased risk for those who have had a stroke or some other neurological disorder that limits or eliminates the use of one hand. This cutting board is a multipurpose food preparation aid that enables the user to hold food in place in order to peel, cut, or grate safely. It offers stability and is great for our elderly population and promotes independent living.
• Skil-Care Flame Snuffer: One of the greatest dangers in the kitchen is a grease fire and if you don’t use the proper equipment to extinguish it, the fire can increase dramatically. NEVER use water on a grease fire, it will only make things worse!! This easy to use flame snuffer can be used on a grease fire in nonflammable containers such as metal or ceramic. The fiberglass fabric is easily stored in a cabinet and measures 30 “x 30 “ and is reusable. This is a necessity for your kitchen as well as a fire extinguisher.

This virus pandemic has meant more time in our kitchens than probably ever before. As with anything else, this can increase the risk of a dangerous event happening. Be prepared for any kind of kitchen emergency greatly decreases the chance of an injury or even damage to your home. As the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!!”

 

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