Food and eating: kitchen equipment

• If you do not own a microwave you might consider buying a small one, as meals or snacks can very simply and quickly be cooked or reheated this way
• Look for special devices designed to grip jars and bottles for easy opening –– some improve your grip, and others provide an extended lever to make turning easier. There are also wall-mounted openers available which allow you to push the jar into a grip and simply turn, which can be done one-handed
• Ideally the cooker and sink should be close together with adjacent work surfaces clear for food preparation with easy access to most used items of equipment
• The fridge should also be nearby to cut down on movement around the kitchen
• A fridge with a freezer at the bottom rather than the top will reduce bending down, as a fridge is accessed more regularly than a freezer
• A perching stool with a sloped seat, arms and back is useful if you find standing for a long time difficult
• Turntables in cupboards make access to items easier
• After you’ve prepared food, put the knives in a plastic container to transfer them to the kitchen sink, so that if you fall you are protected from their sharp blades
• Use a trolley for transferring your meal to the table, or for moving other things around the house, but don’t overload it! If you don’t have a trolley, try to carry items with one hand so that you always keep one hand free to protect you in case of falls
• A bicycle basket may be strapped to a trolley to help carry things that may otherwise wobble over
• Use a vegetable basket in saucepans so that you can lift food out safely without having to carry a hot, heavy pan to the sink to drain water
• A cordless kettle is less likely to get tangled up so may be safer that using a kettle with flex
• Kettle tippers (a cradle that fits around the kettle and tips when the handle is pushed) are useful if you have difficulty lifting and pouring a kettle
• Use a small jug to fill the kettle rather than lift the kettle to the tap
• Hobs which allow you to slide rather than lift pans are helpful. You can also slide things along the draining board, for example a saucepan when filled with water
• Eye level grills and oven are easier to use as this avoids bending whilst handling hot items
• It is generally safer to have hob controls at the front of the hob so you do not have to lean over hot surfaces to adjust them
• Place a slip resistant mat under chopping boards to keep them in place, and make sure they are large enough to contain vegetable peelings etc so they are easily lifted to the bin or compost pail
• Use a food blender to chop, grate or liquidise food, but make sure when you buy one that it is not too heavy and is easy to operate
• Heavier saucepans are better if you have tremor as they are more stable
• Pull out shelving in an oven makes it easier to remove items safely
• Long handled dustpans and brushes make sweeping easier
• Before buying new kitchen items check that they are not too fiddly to clean and if you have things in your cupboards or drawers that you never use then get rid of them as it will make it easier to access the things you do use
• Dining chairs with full length armrests provide useful support both when sitting and getting up from the table, although they may make it more difficult to get close to the table
• If your left hand is stronger than your right, look for scissors and other tools that have been designed for left-handed people.