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3 Things to Get Rid of When Renovating Your Ageing Parents' Kitchen

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Have your ageing parents put you in charge of their kitchen renovations? If so, here are 3 things you should get rid of during the remodelling process.

Tiled Flooring

Tiles are an ideal kitchen flooring choice for younger adults because they're long-lasting and water resistant. However, when it comes to ageing adults, tiles are a serious fall hazard. The grout between the tiles makes the flooring uneven, which means it's easier to trip on. On top of that, tiling is very slippery when wet. Given that falls can be very dangerous (and even fatal) for seniors, it's important that you replace your parents' tiled kitchen flooring to keep them safe. One good alternative flooring to look into is vinyl. Vinyl sheet flooring is highly water-resistant, but it has better grip than tiling and doesn't have seams that could catch your parents' feet. It's also softer than tile, cushioning the body slightly more in the event of a fall.

Cabinet Doors

Since it's common for hearing to deteriorate in old age, logic may suggest that seniors should be more tolerant of loud noises. However, research has actually shown that loud noises can actually be painful for seniors. This is because of a condition called presbycusis, which causes noises to sound distorted. So, if you want your parents' newly renovated kitchen to be more comfortable, eliminating sources of loud noises is a good step. One of the most common causes of unpleasant sound in a kitchen is the bang that cabinet doors make when they're shut. You can make cabinets much quieter by getting rid of those doors and replacing them with soft-close doors, which have special hinges that don't allow the cabinets to loudly slam shut. Soft-close doors can also be used on drawers.

High Shelving

For homeowners with a lot of small appliances, high shelving can be a neat and tidy way to store kitchen equipment that's not currently in use. However, mobility deteriorates with age, so it can quickly become difficult for your ageing parents to move appliances on and off the shelves without dropping them. Ideally, when renovating the kitchen, you should remove dangerous high shelves and include as much arm-level shelving as possible. If there's not enough space to store all their equipment on low shelves, consider selling some items and replacing them with multi-use appliances. For example, a rice cooker and a steamer could be replaced with a single slow cooker that has a steaming tray.


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