If you are passionate about cooking, the kitchen is a haven. It is a good place for you to practice your culinary skills, or even to enjoy the things that you love doing, like creating craft projects, reading books, or even paying bills. Some safety issues are noted to be aplenty in kitchens too. Due to this reason, you must be familiar with what to include in your checklist of kitchen safety for seniors.
Fire Hazard Checklist
A kitchen is a fire hazard, and with that in mind, you must be able to include the following in your checklist when assessing this and other general risks:
- Keep plastic utensils and potholders away from the stovetop. Remove dish towels that can brush against burners as well.
- Make sure curtains do not brush against burners.
- Wear safe clothing when cooking. Short-sleeved tops are a must, but if you prefer longer ones, they should be rolled up when cooking.
- Easy-to-operate fire extinguishers must be in handy.
- Good lighting must be provided in the kitchen, most especially in areas near countertops and the stove.
- Store sharp utensils like kitchen shears and knives safely.
- Set timers whenever you are cooking, so that you won’t forget that you are doing it.
- Install a smoke detector in the kitchen.
- Install a shut-off feature on a gas range or other devices that can keep the kitchen safe, especially when no one is actually using it.
Food Storage Checklist
Food safety is another consideration when it comes to making sure that you are in a safe place whenever you are in the kitchen. Make sure that the following are included in your checklist:
- Set the fridge to 40 degrees Fahrenheit to keep foodstuff like dairy and meat safe.
- Remember to read expiration dates on food labels.
- If you cannot read these dates clearly, use a marker to write the expiry date. You can do the same thing to write down the purchase date of a product before they are stored.
Checklist for Fall-Proofing A Kitchen
Just like your bathrooms, the kitchen can be one of the places where you may fall or trip at any time. Lower this risk by including the following in this checklist:
- Wear skid-free footwear when in the kitchen.
- Get rid of fragile dinnerware to avoid possible injuries from broken glass.
- Install motion-sensitive night lights along the kitchen path so that you remain safe when walking through the area at night time.
- Frequently used food items must be stored in areas where you can easily reach them.
- Non-skid rugs or mats must be placed in front of the sink.
When you are in a retirement community, you can be sure that your safety is of utmost priority all the time. There are housekeeping and maintenance to make the entire residence safe for you. You do not even have to cook if you do not feel like doing so. You can simply go to the dining hall for your meals.
