Making the Kitchen Safe for Aging Parents
What You Can Do
Kitchen Safety
- Remove or secure area rugs.
- Keep often used dishes in one easy-to-reach spot on the countertop.
- Discourage the use of heavy pots and pans.
- Use plastic and/or disposable dishes as much as possible.
- Rearrange or move pantry items to be more accessible.
- Rearrange shelves in the refrigerator, if necessary, so that items are easy to access.
- Keep items like salt, pepper, napkins, utensils within reach of where ever meals are eaten (table or tv tray).
- Keep healthy snacks on hand, such as; fruit, raw veggies, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and peanut butter.
- Clearly label leftovers with a date.
- Use a small trashcan to help with trash removal and enlist the help of a friend or neighbor to get trash to the curb for trash pick up days.