Assistive Devices For Those With Limitations In The Kitchen

Lerners is a proud sponsor of Spinal Cord Injury Ontario and, amongst other sponsorships, supports the monthly peer connection luncheon hosted at Parkwood Hospital which seeks to mentor individuals who have recently experienced a spinal cord impairment by pairing that individual up with someone who has gone through a similar injury many years ago. The tips and advice from an “insider” is invaluable for those facing the spectre of a life changing spinal cord injury.

As often as my schedule allows, I try to sit in on these luncheons because I always learn so much myself which I am able to incorporate into my file handling for my own clients. On June 18, 2018 I was able to sit in on the meeting and heard a wonderful talk which illustrated and demonstrated the many assistive devices specifically designed to minimize barriers in the kitchen. Certainly the assistive devices that were demonstrated could be helpful for any number of kitchen limitations and would be useful for a wide rage of physical limitations, not just spinal cord impairments. The talk was applicable to many other individuals that I encounter each week.

The attendees at the peer connection meeting – both mentor and mentee – all thought that the devices were excellent aids to promote independence and safety. Even the audience members who have had lived with their spinal cord injury for decades learned of a few new kitchen tools not currently in their cabinet.

I recommend the Adaptive Cooking website where more information and details can be found. Many of the items are inexpensive, so even if funding is unavailable, it is possible to inexpensively acquire kitchen devices that promote independence, healthy eating, and safety in the kitchen. In addition to is knowledge about specific assistive devices Adaptive Cooking has created a six week program where a professional chef trains and demonstrates cooking techniques and recipes, at no cost to the participant. Healthy eating leads to healthier living and independence in the kitchen leads to a sense of accomplishment and well-being.

After 25 years at Lerners I am still amazed how I can learn something new that is of such benefit to my clients. It was a serendipitous luncheon for me!