Have you recently visited your elderly loved one and noticed anything in the kitchen that makes you wonder whether they are still able to live safely alone in their own home? Maybe you noticed the stove was on even though your loved one said the last time she used it was to heat some pizza the night before. Or perhaps you’ve seen that your loved one has some injuries on her hand from accidentally cutting herself. Assisted living at home can help.
The kitchen is one of the most likely places in the home where someone can injure themselves, no matter their age. But for some individuals, growing older can make using the kitchen safely more difficult, and they will need help either part-time in the kitchen or around the clock, depending on what is making it difficult for them to use the kitchen safely.
Look for Consistent Issues to Know if Help is Needed
Accidents can always happen, so don’t automatically assume your loved one is always unsafe in their own kitchen just because of one mishap. Instead, it’s important to look at repeated behaviors and to understand your loved one’s limitations to know if they need some help in the kitchen.
Five Dangers the Elderly Often Face in the Kitchen
- Burning themselves: There are lots of issues that can lead to a bad burn in the kitchen. It can happen when a pot or pan is too heavy for your loved one to lift off the stove due to weakened muscles. It can also occur when burners are repeatedly left on and forgotten about until your loved one accidentally touches one.
- Fire: The kitchen has a lot of appliances that generate enough heat to lead to a fire if not taken care of properly. Burners that are left on can catch a towel on fire, and a forgotten item in a hot stove can combust and start a fire.
- Falling: Kitchen floors can often get slippery from grease and oil when not cleaned regularly, and a kitchen chair not tucked under the table can easily provide a tripping hazard. Finally, shorter seniors who use chairs, footstools, and God forbid, kitchen top counters to reach high cabinets put themselves in danger every time they need something from the top shelf.
- Food Poisoning: Monitoring the fridge and cupboards for expired food is important to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
- Cutting themselves: Not being able to handle a sharp knife well or cleaning a sharp implement incorrectly can lead to bad cuts and injuries.
Assisted Living at Home Can Provide the Kitchen Safety Your Loved One Needs
If your elderly loved one has reached a point where you are not comfortable with them navigating their kitchen on their own, but they do not want to move to an assisted living facility, one option to consider is having someone come live with them with an assisted living at home team.
When someone receives assisted living at home, a trained professional is in the home with them around the clock, assisting in whatever ways they need. For those who are struggling in the kitchen, an assisted living at home provider can step in and help with meal preparation as well as clean up, allowing your loved one to continue to live in their home safely and comfortably.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Assisted Living at Home in Butler, WI, please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services today. Call (414) 206-2090
At Talem Home Care of Milwaukee, we provide passionate, understanding, and flexible caregivers in Brookfield, Cudahy, Delafield, Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Milwaukee, Mukwonago, Muskego, New Berlin, Oak Creek, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Shorewood, South Milwaukee, Waukesha, Wauwatosa, West Allis, and surrounding areas in Wisconsin.
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