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Arizona Technology Access Program (AzTAP)

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What's for Dinner? Independent living tips for cooking and dining

Eating a healthy, well-prepared meal can be one of life's great pleasures. If you have difficulties handling food preparation tools or silverware, this brochure may provide helpful information on aids and adaptations to use in the kitchen and dining room.

Food Preparation

  • Cutting peeling and chopping:  Cutting boards can be bought or made with stainless steel nails pointing up to hold meat, fruits, vegetables, cheese, etc., for one-handed cutting or peeling. Some have a raised angle for buttering bread. A peeler mounted on a clamp can be attached to a table top or a cutting board; the apple, carrot or potato can be pushed or pulled across the blade with one hand. A hardwood chopping bowl comes with a five bladed chopper and features a non-tip plastic base, at some medical/surgical supply stores. Also available is a grater with suction feet and a bin to hold grated food.
  • Opening and closing containers:  An electric can opener can prevent a lot of frustration. Make sure the one you buy has nonslip rubber feet and a mechanism that can open any shape of can. Jar openers also come in many designs and are widely available. Boxes can be slit open with a knife and closed with a piece of masking tape or a rubber band. Plastic bags can be resealed with a rubber band or clothes pin by twisting the bag shut and tucking the twisted end under the rubber band.
  • Mixing and beating:  Bowls should be heavy enough to prevent sliding. A rubber ring on the base, a Dycem mat (from a medical/surgical supplier) or even a damp cloth can help. Bowls with handles are widely available. A hole cut in a piece of plywood or hardwood set over a drawer or sink will help steady a bowl while you use it, increasing your counter space at the same time. If the bowl is flush with the board's surface, you can easily push ingredients into the bowl as they are prepared.

    Blenders, electric mixers, and food processors can be a big help. If you buy one, make sure the features are useful for your particular cooking needs, and that you can operate the controls.
  • Cooking:  To hold a pot or pan steady while you stir, try a wire frame attached to the stove with suction cups, available from medical supply stores. You can also push the handle against the back of the stove or another pot to stabilize it. The lightest, easiest-to-manipulate pots are made from aluminum, stainless steel, and copper. These metals are also good conductors, so they heat and cool quickly: you will need to stir more frequently with light-weight pots. Casserole dishes and oven-to-table ware of ceramic, porcelain, Corningware, and tempered glass come in all sizes and weights. They're heavy, but designed to look good on the table, which means less transferring of food from one container to another.
  • Handles and knobs:  Make sure the shape and size of handles and knobs are well-suited to the strength and flexibility of your grip. A long handle lets you brace against your wrist or arm, or use both hands, and also makes reaching a back burner easier. Handles on both sides of a pan distribute weight more evenly, but are sometimes smaller, and require two hands with good coordination. A clip-on handle, available where camping supplies are sold, can function as an extra grip for a heavy or awkward pot. Lids should have a knob that won't slip out of your grip. You'll find replacement knobs at hardware stores. If you use a reaching aid, choose a knob that works well with your aid. Any part of a pot that you touch should be well-insulated. Plastic and wood are the safest materials: solid and hollow-core metal handles will heat up eventually and could cause a burn. A tipping platform can make holding a teapot easier and safer.

    For frying bacon and thinly sliced foods, a cast aluminum fryer sits on top of the food, reflecting heat downward, so that it cooks without turning or stirring. A drainer/strainer that clamps over the pot is also a good idea. Oven mitts are essential when working with hot things; you can also use a reaching aid for some jobs, A commercial pizza shovel makes a good reacher to pull hot dishes out of the oven.

    Place heatproof pads around the kitchen and use them as resting stops when carrying heavy, hot items over long distances. If you use a wheelchair, use a heatproof lapboard or wheelchair tray so that you can use both hands for traveling.

Roomy, stretchy clothes with simple fastenings are your best bet. For ease and comfort, choose clothing with:

  • Side or front closings
  • Deep armholes or raglan sleeves
  • Pull-on, elasticized waists
  • Ample room for movement
  • Soft-surface fabrics that breathe

Clothing Adaptations

  • Sew cuff buttons on with elastic thread; keep them buttoned all the time and simply slide your hand through
  • Remove buttons from the cuff or front of a blouse or shirt, and sew the button to the closed buttonhole borders. Sew Velcro on the two sides and press to close
  • Attach a ring or loop to the zipper tab so it's easier to catch with fingers or a dressing aid
  • Sew loops or tabs of ribbon or seam binding inside clothes to help in pulling them on or off
  • Adapt a brassiere by sewing up the back closure, cutting the front open and attaching Velcro strips. (Front-close bras are also available)
  • To keep a shirt or blouse tucked in, sew rubber strips to the inside of your skirt or slacks waistband
  • Slacks can be fitted with side zippers in the legs to ease in pulling them on and off. Zippers in the inside seam to the knee may accommodate a cast or brace

Remember:  Buttons require the most movement and coordination; snaps or dome fasteners are easier. Zippers are faster and easier still, and simplest of all are Velcro strips.

Some Other Tips

Wheelchair-users should avoid long ties or scarves, full-length coats, wide pant legs, or floppy sleeves, which can catch in wheelspokes or pick up dirt from the tires.

Wrap-around skirts are particularly fast and easy to put on, and allow women in wheelchairs extra movement.

Jackets with side (not rear) vents are less likely to ride up. Pre-tied, clip-on ties are available in attractive patterns for a dressier look. Avoid using pants pockets, or keep your wallet in a breast pocket, secured with a strip of Velcro.

If you use crutches, a top with too much roominess can cause bunching or binding under the arms.

An apron with customized pockets designed for tools or items that you use most frequently may make work or hobby activities easier and more enjoyable.

Try designs that are warm, waterproof, and can be layered for changeable weather. Since you want to be able to move freely, look for designs that have deep armholes and loose shoulders.

A hooded poncho or cape is particularly suitable for protecting a wheelchair user from rain and cold. These can be purchased at camping supply stores. If you design your own, cut it just below waist level at the back and allow enough front length to drape over the knees. Taper the sides, so they won't bunch and catch in the wheels. A zip-in insulated lining can make a rain cape into a cold-weather garment.

A hat is essential in winter since so much body heat escapes from an uncovered head, and older persons may be especially susceptible to chilling. A well-designed winter hat covers the ears, is made of a natural fiber with good insulating properties, and is not tight. If gloves are difficult for you to wear, try mittens instead. Mittens are warmer, much easier to get on and off, and come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Thumbless or fingerless versions are especially easy to get on and off.

Here are some ideas for accessible footwear:

  • Both dressy and casual shoes are available in slip-on styles
  • Elastic shoelaces stay tied and simply stretch open when you put on or remove your shoes
  • Shoelace clips slide up and down the lace ends and lock into place
  • Many sport shoes, boots, and some dressier styles are available with Velcro tab fasteners
  • A shoe button screws into the top lace hole on your shoe; once laces are tied, you just hook them over the button to fasten

Inexpensive, removable cleats attached to shoes or boots can improve your walking control on ice or snow. These can be purchased from a medical supply store. Dressing Aids

When it comes to the actual process of dressing and undressing, dressing aids can make these activities easier.

A well-designed dressing aid should be lightweight but sturdy, and will:

  • Help you reach your clothing and pull it toward you,
  • Hold the garment so that you can put in your foot, arm, etc.,
  • Pull the article on without straining your back, shoulders, or arms, and
  • Attach to and detach from clothing easily

A very simple dressing aid can be made by attaching a clothes peg, hook, garter, or clamp to a piece of fabric tape, rope, or length of wood. The rope or tape can be tied into loops for easier handling; two aids can be used together to pull on slacks, pantyhose, or a skirt. An instant dressing aidit. Buttons can be fastened easily with a button hook, available in many sizes, and a variety of handles. Push the hook through the buttonhole, catch the button in the hook, and pull it through.

Attach a ring or loop to the zipper on slacks or jackets to make it easier to catch with your finger or the hook of a dressing stick. For back zippers, use a dressing stick if you can reach the zipper; otherwise attach a hook with a cord, then grasp the cord and pull the zipper.

Shoes and Boots

A simple shoe horn can be your best friend when it comes to putting on shoes and boots, whether laced, buckled, or slip-on. Shop for a long-handled model to reduce bending and straining; check that the point where the horn joins the handle is sturdy, particularly if you use it for heavy shoes or boots. The handle can be built up if you find it hard or painful to grip. Push your shoe up against the wall or a solid piece of furniture for stability when putting it on.

Removing shoes and boots can also be difficult, but a bootjack can be a great help. Place your heel between the prongs of the bootjack, and pull your foot out. A bootjack can be fastened to the floor in a convenient location or left free to be moved whereneeded.You can also use the rung of a chair or stool to catch the heel when removing footwear.

Further Information

There are many adaptations, small and large, inexpensive and costly, that can make getting around in your bathroom easier. For more information on the adaptations discussed here or for additional suggestions, please contact:

 

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