Kitchen Aids Assist Persons with Disabilities

Author: Ian C. Langtree - View Credentials
Published: 11 Jun 2009 - Updated: 9 Jun 2024
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content

Synopsis

Kitchen mobility aids are usually small and often relatively basic items but can make life a lot easier for persons with disabilities.

Overview

If you have mobility or dexterity problems, perhaps carrying out daily kitchen tasks is proving more difficult. Kitchen mobility aids are usually small and often relatively basic items, but can make life a lot easier. A jar opener or tap turner might not be an obvious purchase when compared to a mobility scooter, but it is likely to be used just as often, if not more often.

There is a diverse assortment of kitchen disability aids available, ranging from jar and bottle openers, trolleys, cutlery and crockery, tap and knob turners, kettle tippers, non-slip mats and cutting boards, to food preparation utensils, perching stools and many many more products.

Types of Kitchen Aids Include:

Here are several examples of types of readily available kitchen daily living aids that can help with food preparation and cooking:

• Jar and bottle openers: Various types of jar and bottle openers are available which can be used in many situations around the house and garden, making them very versatile indeed. They work in different ways; some are a non-slip rubber cone that is placed over the jar or bottle lid, and others use a metal loop attached to a handle tightened round the lid, and then levered open.
• Trolleys: Wheeled trolleys enable you to take items to and from the kitchen, can help with walking, and can also be used in other rooms as well. They can help with carrying food and all the things you need with you around the house, such as glasses, a drink and medication.
• Cutlery: Those who require assistance with feeding can benefit from using cutlery with over-sized or adapted handles. This style of cutlery is ideal for those with a weak or limited grip.
• Crockery: Crockery with higher sides to prevent food spilling off the plate can help those with limited hand or muscle control. Scoop plates have angled sides to help ideal push food onto a fork or spoon, and are ideal for those who eat one handed.
• Tap and knob turners: Tap and knob turners can be fitted to kitchen and bathroom taps and cookers to make sinks and cookers easier to use. These turn conventional taps into levers, which mean that they are easier to use. Turners are also available for cooker controls to make cooking safer and easier.
• Kettle tippers: A kettle tipper is a device that supports the weight of the kettle in a cradle and enables the kettle to be tipped, so that the user doesn't have to take the weight of the kettle. These can be invaluable for people who haven't got the upper body strength or dexterity to pick up and hold a full kettle to make a hot drink. Mini kettles are also available which are smaller, hold a lot less water and much easier to use for those with limited upper body strength or mobility.
• Non slip place mats: Non slip mats and coasters are ideal for placing under plates, and other items to prevent them from slipping around, when eating or preparing food for example.
• Cutting boards: Cutting boards are available which clamp to a work surface and often have sides to them. Sections for securing vegetables so they can be easily cut, and so that bread can be buttered safely using just one hand, for example.
• Kitchen utensils: Food preparation utensils such as spatulas, knives and graters are available with angled comfortable handles to reduce the strain on wrists and hands. These utensils allow those with mobility or dexterity problems to prepare and chop their own food without needing assistance.
• Seating: A perching stool is invaluable for those people who aren't able to stand up for long periods of time, and are perfect for use in the kitchen whilst preparing food, as well as in numerous other situations around the house.

These types of healthcare products are often recommended by Occupational Therapists and other healthcare experts. Kitchen mobility aids, such as these, can be the difference between somebody being able to cook for themselves and having to rely on someone else to cook for them. Many more daily living aid products are available which can benefit those with limited mobility or dexterity.

Author Credentials: Ian C. Langtree is a writer, editor, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, which he established in 2004 as one of the longest-running independent resources for disability news and information. Over more than two decades, he has written and edited thousands of articles on disability rights, health, accessibility, and assistive technology. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed advocate of the Social Model of Disability, the framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that focuses on removing societal barriers rather than on individual impairments. His writing is grounded in that framework and in a lasting commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.