The kitchen is the heart of the home in many ways. It is where love is poured into holiday meals, laughs are shared, and wonderful memories are often made. There is just something about the kitchen that brings a sense of joy and comfort. The kitchen is also a room that promotes activity. Consider all the movements that are required to simply pour a glass of milk, load the dishwasher or prepare a meal. These are everyday tasks that we often take for granted until our mobility begins to decline. Whether we are extending the body to reach for ingredients or pivoting from the sink to the trash bin, these seemingly effortless movements can become challenging over time. As a result, we see many falls that occur in the kitchen.
Our goal at Balance in Motion is to help you focus on maintaining mobility so that these simple tasks do not prevent you from experiencing the things that bring us the most joy in life. Let’s explore some ways that we can be proactive about our mobility and how we can adapt our kitchens so that they can be safely enjoyed and easily navigated.
Safety items should be first to consider when working in the kitchen. Many tasks require movement while carrying sharp knives, hot pans, and boiling water. It is important to consider obstacles that might become trip hazards such as trash bins or floor mats. We recommend limiting the amount of surface changes as much as possible. Mats are typically something we would consider removing. However, for trash bins it is not feasible to eliminate these from our kitchens, but we can be mindful of placement to avoid obstruction of common walkways. The most ideal placement would be under a countertop if possible.
Accessing cooking utensils and ingredients is another simple task to consider when creating a safe kitchen environment. Many balance-related injuries occur while people are extending themselves whether it be bending or reaching. Think about the simple process of baking cookies. Now, consider the number of overhead reaching and bending that is required. All these movements involve core muscle engagement in some way. While our program is designed to focus on strengthening and balance, we believe it is still good practice to consider the placement of your most used tools and ingredients to create a safer kitchen space. We all have dishes that we just do not use. Also, many kitchens offer storage that is not easily accessible to everyone. This storage space can be the perfect area for those less-utilized tools so that we can make other items much more easily accessible.
There are many ways that we can adapt our kitchens to our capabilities as they change over time. We have suggested a few items that can be easily addressed so that you can continue to enjoy your kitchen to its fullest potential. We want to encourage our members and readers to be open to the idea of adaptation as we know that it is fundamental in maintaining a more independent life.
