Adapting Kitchens for the Elderly and People with Disabilities

Most caregivers and seniors can attest to the changes they have to make in their living space as people’s agility declines or disabilities arise. We all want to live independently, but sometimes our home can feel like a liability when it is not set up in a safe manner. Over the next few months, LTS is going to dedicate a number of blog posts to how we can make adjustments to the different rooms in homes or apartments – big or small – and how to make home feel more like home!

Kitchens can be a danger zone for people with vision loss, who are wheelchair bound, or have declining balance and strength. Here are a number of ways you can adapt kitchens for seniors. Maybe Lidia Bastianich or Martha Stewart could show us a few easy recipes in an adapted kitchen? PBS – we hope you are reading this!

Easy, cost-effective ways: Sometimes a few simple and inexpensive adjustments can significantly increase the safety level for both the elderly and caregivers.

·         Labels – Clearly label the cabinet doors or shelves to make things easy to find.

·         Placement – Make sure that commonly used items like drinking glasses, silverware, dishes, or pots are within reach.

·         Microwave – If you have a microwave above the stovetop, consider purchasing a new/used microwave to place on the counter to reduce stretching and having to carry heavy dishes.

·         Cabinet doors and drawers – Always keep these closed to avoid accidents, and paint or tape the edges with a contrasting color in case they are left open.

·         Remove lower cabinets – You may need to remove the cabinet below the sink or in other areas to accommodate wheelchairs or other mobility devices.

·         Lighting under side cabinets – Purchase inexpensive touch lights to illuminate the countertops

·         Trays – Using contrasting colored trays under daily food items or cups can decrease the odds of a spill.

• Unplug stove – If you think the elderly person will not need the stove or oven, consider unplugging it to avoid accidents.

Re-building your kitchen: If you have the funds to adapt your existing kitchen, work with an architect and a long-term services and supports specialist to find the right tools and appliances for your unique needs. Here are some things to consider:

·         Pull down shelves – These are nifty shelves that move upward and downward using a hinge. They allow individuals to pull shelves closer to their points of view while also carrying the weight of the items on the shelves.

·         Countertop height – Depending on the individual, lowering a countertop’s height might make a world of difference for everyday tasks.

·         Side opening oven – Lifting a heavy oven door downward can be uncomfortable, difficult, and dangerous. A side door can eliminate all these hassles.

·         Pullout shelf below oven – Adding a shelf below the oven acts as placeholder for hot items. This way, you don’t have to lift hot items over to another counter.

·         Easy to use faucets– Hot, cold? Which way?! Install a new faucet that has clear red or blue marks to represent hot or cold water, and that has a simple handle with a gripper rather than difficult knobs.

·         Electrical outlets – Install outlets in convenient locations; consider adding contrasting outlet covers for visibility.

Let us know what challenges you’ve faced in the kitchen and how you’ve overcome them. We’ll be happy to update our blog with your tried and tested ideas!

Yes, the elderly date, too.

Just like “young folks,” people in older generations look to connect with others on a social, emotional, and physical level. A quick Google search reveals many online dating sites specific to seniors, and this vast list indicates how prevalent elderly dating is. Here are a few different issues we’ve come across with the elderly and dating.

Parents and dating: The thought of your parent dating might be one of the hardest things to imagine if he or she is dating someone new. It might be especially difficult if it comes after the loss of their significant other. The new couple can most likely relate to one another’s experience with aging, and they may also bond if they have the same physical illness or condition. If there is a large age difference or you have other reservations, you may want to consider these reservations more closely if the person brings positivity to your parent.

Sex and the elderly: In a New York Times op-ed from January 2014, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel shares the startling trends in Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) among elderly: “The Department of Health and Human Services released a little-noticed report on Medicare a few months ago…The number of Medicare enrollees who took advantage of free STD tests is about the same as the number who received free colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer, amounting to about 5 percent of all those on Medicare.” As he says, this might not be surprising to everyone, as “…retirement communities and assisted living facilities are becoming like college campuses. They cram a lot of similarly aged people together, and when they do, things naturally happen.”

Clinicians need to be aware and open about this trend to prevent problems from arising. According to A Place for Mom, many STDs may be untreated in seniors because they’re hard to detect and they are so unexpected; also, STDs can actually make chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease worse. As a caregiver, as hard as it may be, it’s possible that you may want to have the “birds and the bees” talk with your elderly parent.

Dementia patients date: People who suffer from memory loss are also capable of finding connections with others. In the critically-acclaimed movie, Away from Her, starring Julie Christie, an aging married couple begins to feel the tensions of the wife suffering from Alzheimer’s. The wife moves into a long-term care facility. After some time, her husband visits and realizes his wife has connected with a mute, wheelchair-bound man who has made her happy. Obviously, this new relationship is difficult for the husband to understand, but as the film progresses, he finally comes to terms it. Away from Her was a beautiful movie and rated number six on Roger Ebert’s best movies of 2007. This movie was directed by Sarah Polley and was an adaptation of Alice Munro’s short story "The Bear Came Over theMountain" in The New Yorker.