For many the kitchen is the main control center of the home. In addition to preparing meals, the kitchen is often the place where homework gets done, bills are paid and conversations are held. However, if you are or family member have a disability, the kitchen can be a difficult room to maneuver around. It can be extremely difficult to manuver a wheelchair or scooter around a kitchen island or the dining table. From an ergonomic point of view, the spaces between furniture and the height of the countertops typically are not suitable for wheelchair users. This can be frustrating for someone striving for independence.
For those of you looking for options to support your independence in the kitchen, there are options and ergonomic-type chairs may be the solution you are looking for!
Sambra
For someone able to ambulate but finds it difficult to bend down to reach in to lower cabinets, how about a stool on wheels that raises and lowers down far enough to reach those bottom cabinets?
Salsa
For someone that loves to cook but finds it difficult to stand for long periods of time there are “sit to stand” options. This would allow someone to start in a standing position until they tire and then have a secure stool high enough to lean back in to, to relieve pressure or pain from standing.
Tango 100E
There are also solutions for people completely dependent on wheelchairs which would allow them to move around easily in a safety chair with multiple accessories if needed and a powered feature to raise and lower them to counter to cabinet level!
Being unable to be independent in the kitchen can easily become discouraging and inhibit one’s self-confidence and feeling of security. Finding the right solution for the job helps maintain that ‘independent’ status important to us all. For other ideas to enable you at home, check out our Pinterest Board.
Jill Girard