Simple kitchen updates can help seniors stay more independent and safer. Plus, being able to take care of everyday tasks on their boosts their mood and self-esteem. Remodeling a kitchen can be expensive and slow, so New Life Bath & Kitchen shares six simple kitchen updates you can do yourself.
With a few thoughtful modifications, you can create a senior-friendly space that combines functionality with ease of use. In this article, we share six practical ways to adapt a kitchen for aging in place, from more innovative storage solutions to safety upgrades, so your loved one can enjoy meal prep with confidence and convenience.
The kitchen is the center of the home, but when someone cannot safely or easily move through this critical hub, life becomes difficult. If you have an unlimited budget, you can do a lot to fully customize the kitchen to meet the needs of an older adult.
But as you can see, a senior-friendly kitchen doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Minor adjustments can often make huge differences. When you think about the areas of the kitchen that are the biggest problem for your loved one, you’ll be able to adapt the work area in ways that can make independent living easier and safer.
Most of us don’t have a magical, endless budget, so we need to make the kitchen more accessible using affordable DIY methods. Read on for 6 DIY tips to make your older adult’s kitchen more senior-friendly.
6 DIY Tips To Make a Senior-Friendly Kitchen
1. Update Lighting
Insufficient lighting can be dangerous in the kitchen for seniors.
First, make light switches easy to turn on and off by replacing any regular light switches with rocker light switches. These work for the whole hand and take less effort than traditional switches.
Then, take inventory of the current light bulbs in the room. Replace old bulbs with LED lights to remove the harsh light that can be hard on the eyes. Install task lighting above workstations, below upper cabinets, and in storage spaces.
2. Make Storage More Accessible
A no-cost accessible upgrade to a senior-friendly kitchen is to reassess the placement of items.
Keep daily-use items, such as cookware, in lower cabinets that are easily accessible from a wheelchair. Even if a wheelchair isn’t being used, place these items between waist and shoulder height. Adding pullout landing boards of spring-assisted shelving can also help with heavy items for your senior-friendly kitchen.
Think outside the stack, and store dishes and baking sheets on end by adding dowels in your existing cabinets. You can also find ready-made inserts at various home stores. Consider lazy susan trays, full-extension slide shelving, sliding wire organizers, and pull-down shelves as well.
It’s much safer for older adults to be able to pull shelves toward them instead of having to crouch down to search inside a lower cabinet or using a step stool to reach items in higher cabinets.
3. Replace Drawer Handles So They're Easier to Use
Round pull knobs can be difficult for an arthritic hand to handle. Replace any pull knobs with wide drawer pulls (also called D-shaped pulls) to enhance your senior-friendly kitchen project.
You may also want to consider a touch drawer system, where the door opens when you push it.
4. Make the Kitchen Faucet More Accessible
At the sink, make using the faucet easier by updating with lever-style fixtures instead of twist knobs.
Motion-sensor faucets are even better. Not only do these faucets eliminate the need to grip, but they also eliminate the possibility of forgetting to turn the water off. A simpler and less expensive option is to add a motion sensor adapter.
5. Use Contrasting Colors to Make Things Easier to See
For those with limited vision or dementia, colors and labels can be incredibly helpful.
You could add non-slip tape on the floor to create a contrasting border that makes it easier to see where the floor ends and the wall begins.
A simple way to make sure the stove knob isn’t left in the on position is to put red nail polish on the “off” position. This also makes it easier for your older adult to check that it’s off without having to walk across the room.
You can also use colored tapes, glue, or puffy paint to make raised markings on key points of frequently used appliances in your senior-friendly kitchen.
6. Add a Work Table to Your Senior-Friendly Kitchen
Lowering countertops is helpful, especially for older adults who are in wheelchairs or have lost height due to osteoporosis. An inexpensive solution is to buy a 30-inch-high corner table or kitchen island. It should fit a wheelchair underneath and still be at the right height for food preparation.
Recommended for you:
- 10 Kitchen Aids for Seniors Safely Increase Independence
- Home Safety for Seniors: 10 Quick Fixes for Bathroom, Bedroom, and Kitchen
- 10 Simple Arthritis Aids Help Seniors with Everyday Tasks
Guest contributor: Chuck Winkles is the president of New Life Bath & Kitchen. Chuck was born in Southern California and currently resides in Santa Maria. He's been married to his wife Shelley for thirty-eight years and has two sons, Nathan and Noah.
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About the Author
Connie Chow
Connie was a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother for 20 years. (Grandma made it to 101 years old!) She knows how challenging, overwhelming, and all-consuming caring for an older adult can be. She also knows how important support is — especially in the form of practical solutions, valuable resources, and self-care tips.
