As more seniors live in their homes longer, they need to adapt their habits and environment to suit their evolving needs. If you have a loved one living on their own, you may be worried about their ability to stay safe in the kitchen when their home health care worker isn't available. The following tips will help your loved one avoid injuries when they're preparing food.

How Can You Make a Senior Loved One’s Kitchen Safer?

1. Install Brighter Lighting

Common eye conditions like cataracts that impact older people can compromise vision in dark places. When a kitchen lacks ample lighting, seniors face a greater risk of cooking mishaps as well as slips and falls.

Install bright overhead lights and under-cabinet lighting to illuminate their food preparation space. 

2. Keep Fabrics Away From the Stove

Take a look at your loved one’s kitchen the next time you visit. Do you notice cloth oven mitts or hand towels close to the burners? If so, discuss moving them with your loved one. Fabric can easily ignite when close to open flames, and elderly adults may be unable to extinguish the fire safely. 

3. Install or Replace a Smoke Detector

Smoke detectors should be placed on every floor of the house, outside every sleeping area, as well as in the kitchen, where fires are more likely to occur. Smoke detectors are usually good for ten years, although their batteries will need to be changed on occasion. Test the detector at least once per month to make sure it’s functional. 

If you’re concerned about kitchen safety or another pressing issue regarding a senior loved one, it may be time to consider home health care for them. Turn to the professional caregivers at CareResource Hawaii in Honolulu, who have earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau®. In addition to help with cooking, meal prep, and personal care, they provide nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Learn more about arranging home health care by calling (808) 599-4999 today. Find out more about their services online.