Kitchen is the integral part which completes the home. Older adults spend most of their leisure time there. Especially older women who love to cook their own food as they feel more comfortable with it. Since ages, home makers have been the queen of the kitchen; they do not allow anyone to enter (or) use the kitchen. Apart from the daily responsibilities to cook for the family, Older womens always loved to cook and spent most of their leisure time there. But as they age, standing for a long time in the kitchen becomes a difficult task for them. There are many reasons that constitute the fact, like health issues, Mental well being, etc. 

Health issues make the job more tougher, even though the heart desires to cook the body doesn't cooperate. Certain health issues like arthritis, osteoporosis makes it tougher for elders to standard cook for a long time. Another major reason is improper mental health like in times of sickness, depression people don't really desire to do any work. Inorder to make the process of cooking more easier and convenient we have a few tips and tricks, lets see what they are.

1. Beware of Dangers: Sudden Fires - A kitchen is always a place that needs proper care and observance of what's happening around. Kitchen fires are Very obvious in senior homes as they often forget to turn off the flame after cooking. Fire is always very dangerous because it can rise from nowhere and spread before we think of a solution. These Sudden Kitchen fires are a serious threat to seniors who have cognitive disorders like dementia, Alzheimer's.

2. Invest In Auto Shut Off Devices: There are a lot of automatic shut-off devices that work on the basis of a timer. If you set a timer that will be inbuilt in that particular device, it turns off automatically when it reaches the desired time. There are auto shut-off cookers, stoves, etc available in the market which will be especially useful for seniors with cognitive issues such as Alzheimer's, dementia. 

3. Ensure Clean Working Space: Make sure that the working space is clean and clear. Clear stuff that occupies more space in the working space. 

4. Ensure Proper Lighting:  Many seniors might have the chance of having poor vision (or) eyesight as they age. Poor sight is one of the major drawbacks when it comes to cooking. Proper lighting prevents the fall of unwanted insects (or) dust into the cooking dish.

5. Organise the Cabinets: Organize the kitchen cabinets according to their convenience. Keep the necessary items in a distance where they could reach. Exchange steel jar with a see-through jar for quick access, which in turn shortens the time spent inside the kitchen and makes their work a lot easier.

6. Replace Glass with Plastics: Most of the seniors face tremors (or) shivering as they age. Therefore replace the glass jar with easily accessible and safe Plastic jars. Glass jars are mostly slippery and might easily slide down and break.

7.  Spills: The kitchen is one of the places which gets dirty first. Even Though we clean often they keep getting messy. Spills are obvious in any kitchen. Seniors can accidentally place their legs on the spill and get slipped. The fall is a serious cause that may also cause death.

8. Place Anti-slip Mats: These anti-slip mats can be placed near kitchen sinks, as it is the place that gets slippery too soon. These anti-slip mats help to prevent slips and prevent injury due to falls.

9. Using Kitchen Protective Gears: Kitchen protective gears like gloves while baking, Heat- resistant towels that prevent heat burns, and anti-slip socks offer you proper grip while cooking in the kitchen.

Above listed are a few tips on how to make a kitchen more convenient and easily accessible for seniors. Hope these tips will be useful for you to create a senior-friendly kitchen. Buy elderly healthcare products that are specially curated to make senior citizen's life happy and comfortable. A senior friendly home can be helpful nf comfortable for elders as they can access things with ease and comfort,

Author: Team 60Plus India

Keywords: Health, kitchen, cook, cooking, age, seniors.

Tags: #kitchen #seniors #senior #elderly #elder #seniorfriendlykitchen #age #aging #cooking #cook #health #olderwomen #olderadult