After bathrooms, kitchens are considered to be one of the most dangerous areas of a home for seniors. Potential accidents range from cooking fires, spills on the floor or reaching for hard-to-reach objects.
Most kitchen fires occur when food is left unattended, even for a short time, on the stove or in the oven, but others start from other fire hazards such as leftover grease or crumbs on your stove or counter. Keep your cooking areas as clean as possible to avoid these types of situations, and organize appliances so that the most used ones are in a position that’s easily accessible. Unplug them when not in use, keep them away from the sink and most importantly, ensure they are always maintained and used properly. Keep pot handles turned inward. When handles are turned outward, or even to the side, they can be easily bumped, causing the pot to spill or fall over.
Older adults are killed in home fires at twice the rate of society as a whole.This happens because the older we all get, the slower we become to responding to an emergency situation such as that of a house-fire. Properly installed and functioning smoke detectors can greatly reduce the risk of household accident turning into a tragedy. Also, make sure to keep a small fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and make it a priority to teach your loved ones how to use it correctly.
Seniors don’t have to give up their independence or their love of cooking a meal, but it’s important that they have a safe environment for them to be able to go about their routine.
Senior Safe Homes is a professional same-day safety service for seniors living on their own — or with assistance. We install fire, smoke, carbon monoxide and gas detectors, as well as providing in-home safety evaluation to asses other potential hazards.
Call 888.481.7233
