Sliced & Diced in AK's Kitchen: A Lesson in Accessibility

As promised, here is the continuation of my conversation on accessibility and safety in the kitchen. It's useful for those of us who need to make our kitchens more accessible for children, seniors or anyone with a visual impairment.

 

A couple of helpful links:
Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Eye Foods

The Next Big Kitchen Reno - Safety & Accessibility

When I planned my big kitchen reno three years ago, I thought I had covered all the bases. The big island, an efficient work triangle, lots of light. One aspect that had never entered into my planning was accessibility.

I had never considered how to make my kitchen wheelchair accessible, or accessible for someone with a visual impairment. These are questions many of us don't entertain.

Considering that every 12 minutes, someone in Canada begins to lose his vision, and that among seniors over 65, one in three will suffer a fall in their own home, accessibility needs to become part of our planning. The simple fact is, if you can't get around your kitchen safely and comfortably, you probably won't cook. If you don't cook, you probably don't feed yourself the most nutritious, economical meals.

Leona Emberson, of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, gave me some pointers on making my kitchen accessible and safe.

Here's one practical pointer for everyone, especially those of us with children. Do NOT leave your knife like this...

Instead, tuck the blade underneath the board, like so...

When fingers are fumbling around in the kitchen, they won't encounter a sharp blade.
Another tip for people with failing vision or who are very near-sighted is to use LARGE PRINT on index cards. Attach those index cards with a rubber band to the cans in your pantry. This makes identifying the contents very easy. After you open the can, keep the index card in a pile for your next grocery list.   

Contrast is another useful tool. Equip your kitchen with the two cutting boards; a black board for light coloured foods, and a white cutting board for meats and other dark foods. The high contrast will help you see what you're cutting.

I have started implementing these ideas and already, my kitchen is safer and more accessible.

I'll have my on-camera chat Leona available soon.

A Healthy Diet for Healthy Eyes

I once took them for granted. Neglected them. Over-used them. They did their job fine, without much attention or gratitude from me. Until the spring of 2009, when they didn't function properly. That's when I realised how much I depend on my eyes.

After a year and a half of a slow and steady recovery, my vision started to normalise. I now have a greater appreciation for my baby browns.

Every 12 minutes in Canada, one person will suffer from vision loss, according to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. The leading cause of blindness is age-related macular degeneration. With our aging population, that means a growing number of us run that risk.

To give us a better understanding of eye health, I invited Leona Emberson into AK's Kitchen. Leona teaches people how to adapt their kitchens and lifestyles when they or their family members lose their vision.

Leona has lived all her life with a visual impairment.  She tells me that nutrition and lifestyle go a long way for maintaining healthy eyes. She advocates a healthy diet rich in vitamins E and C, as well as riboflavin and niacin. A while back, I shared a smoothie recipe that's packed with those nutrients. Here's another resource for foods that promote eye health.

If you or a loved one is experiencing vision loss, there are many resources to help you adjust to a new normal. The CNIB and the Hadley School for the Blind are a couple of starting points.

Next up, Leona gives us some pointers on how to equip your kitchen for low or no vision. Stay tuned.