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5 Kitchen Safety Tips for National Safe at Home Week

Senior Care Tips in La Jolla CA

Senior Care Tips in La Jolla CA

Senior Care Tips in La Jolla CAAugust 22 through 25 is National Safe at Home Week. This is the ideal opportunity for you to evaluate your parent’s home and lifestyle, and identify areas where you might be able to make improvements that could help your loved one to stay safer, healthier, and more independent throughout their later years. One area of the home where this is particularly important is the kitchen. Often thought of as the heart of the home, this is a room where many people spend a considerable amount of their time. It is also a place where household accidents are common and the risk for injury can be quite high.

Use these tips to help keep your parent safer in the kitchen during National Safe at Home Week and throughout the rest of the year:

  • Keep fire extinguishers easily accessible. The kitchen is where the majority of household fires begin, and due to the oil, other highly flammable materials, and various heat sources that are present in the kitchen, these fires can spread extremely quickly. Having a fire extinguisher close at hand allows your parent to get the fire under control as soon as possible, minimizing the risk of property damage and severe injury. Make sure that this extinguisher is fully charged at all times and that your parent knows how to use it properly.
  • Eliminate clutter. A kitchen that is full of clutter is at higher risk of fire as well as pests, germs, and other issues. Clutter can also fall, putting your parent at risk of injury and falls. Keep the counters as clear as possible and never leave anything other than a burner cover or empty pot or pan on the stove. Keep potholders, oven mitts, and kitchen towels away from heat sources such as the stove, toaster, and other appliances.
  • Have a stool handy. Most kitchens have cabinets and shelves that are positioned extremely high. This can inspire your parent to reach, use instruments to try to knock items off of the shelves, or even try to climb up on the counters to get to what they need. Keeping a small stool handy provides the height necessary for your parent to access what they need safely and reduce the chances of falling or having something hit or fall on them.
  • Keep sharp implements out of reach. Knives, peelers, graters, microplanes, and other sharp instruments can put your parent at serious risk of injury. This is especially true if they are dealing with arthritis, pain, stiffness, and other issues that could compromise their grip or control on the instrument. Keep these implements out of reach of your aging parent or remove them all together, replacing them with safer alternatives such as handheld choppers.
  • Use timers. Get your parent into the habit of always setting a timer when they have anything on the stove or in the oven, even if there is not a specific time that they need to check on or remove the food. This will ensure that your parent does not forget about the food that is cooking, putting them at higher risk of a fire.

Starting a home care arrangement for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions that you can make for them to help them stay safe and secure throughout their later years. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your parent to help them through tasks that may be challenging to them so that they are able to manage their needs and limitations while also maintaining as much independence and autonomy as possible as they age in place.

La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities."}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":767,"3":{"1":0},"4":{"1":2,"2":10667209},"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"9":2,"10":2,"12":0}”>For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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