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When you have a physical disability, every day tasks such as cooking are more difficult, but even though something is harder, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to do it, because even disabled people still have to eat. People with physical disabilities sometimes have a harder time using kitchen appliances such as a stove, but it is possible to cook independently if it’s accessible, because wheelchairs were invented for a reason. As a disabled person, I do not do a lot of cooking in my current home because I can’t easily move around in my kitchen with my wheelchair, and we don’t have accessible appliances that would allow me to safely cook a pizza, but I could if it were more accessible. Cooking with a physical disability is more difficult because you don’t have as much stability as someone without a disability and can fall and injure yourself more easily, but it is possible with the right accommodations. How do you stay safe in the kitchen when you have a physical disability? In this post, I am sharing a few cooking safety tips if you have a physical disability.
Never put something hot on your lap- Third-degree burns are one of the most common injuries in the kitchen amongst people with Spina Bifida and physical disabilities in general, and often it is avoidable. When you have Spina Bifida, it is common to have limited sensation in your legs, and you can put something hot on your lap and not even feel pain, but even though you can do something that doesn’t mean you should. As a disabled person, I have a good amount of feeling in my upper legs but almost no feeling in the lower part or back of my legs, and I can easily cut myself if I am not careful. I have to be extra careful before sitting on hot pavement because I don’t have enough feeling to be able to tell when something is too hot, and often won’t realize it until I have big red marks on my legs and it’s too late. Burns can easily happen in the kitchen for anyone because sometimes you pick something up and it is hotter than expected, so you end up dropping it on yourself. One of the things you will never see me do in the kitchen is put something hot on my lap, and I won’t even rest hot coffee on my legs because even though I don’t have as much sensation as a non-disabled person and am able to do that, it doesn’t mean I can’t burn myself. Never put something hot on your legs, especially if you can’t feel that area, because it’s one of the easiest and most preventable ways to burn yourself, and if you must put something hot on your lap, get a towel to protect your skin.
Always carry knives with the blade point downward- When you have a physical disability, carrying sharp objects can be dangerous because falling is always possible, but you can lessen the likelihood of severe injury by practicing knife safety. As a disabled person, I try not to make meals that require me to carry a knife a long distance because even if I am extra careful, accidents happen, but sometimes, I have no choice. If I have to carry a knife, usually, I will not pick the sharpest knife in my kitchen and will always carry it with the blade facing down toward the floor because if it’s facing up, you could slip, potentially causing serious injuries or even death. If the blade is facing down, it doesn’t mean you can’t injure yourself, but it’s less likely that you will seriously hurt yourself. Always practice knife safety and never carry it with the blade facing toward you, or try to catch it if it drops.
Ask for help– I love to have independence, and if I am able to cook something myself without injury, I am going to, but you will never see me cook something that I am not confident I can do without injury. If you can’t cook something safely, it is okay to ask for help and have someone else do it for you, because it doesn’t matter how great your recipe for homemade pizza is; it’s not worth putting yourself in the hospital. There is no shame in asking for help because sometimes it’s safer to have someone else do it for you than try to do it yourself and risk having to be treated for serious burns. I don’t like having to ask for help on things I can do myself, but if I can’t do it, I will swallow my pride and ask for help!
Lower your microwave- Microwaves often are up high, which is fine for a lot of non-disabled people, but if you have to reach and can barely see what is in your microwave, it can be unsafe for people with physical disabilities. Burns are common amongst people with physical disabilities, and one of the most common ways people burn themselves is by having a microwave that is too high, because your microwave should be eye-level, and you should be able to easily see what is inside of it. In my home, we have two microwaves, one that is higher up that I don’t use because I would have to stand on a chair to be able to access it, and the other one is sitting on our countertop. The microwave sitting on our countertop may look a little tacky, but it’s not meant to be a fashion statement, and it allows me to safely cook a meal without injury. Please get a lower microwave if you can’t easily see what is inside of it or don’t use it, because all it takes is one time for your food to be a little hotter than expected and to drop it on yourself.
Cooking can be more difficult for people with physical disabilities, but it is possible if it’s accessible. As a disabled person, I am limited in what I can cook in my current home, but I do enjoy cooking and wish my physical disability didn’t limit me in the kitchen. Injuries can happen to anyone in the kitchen, but it’s more likely for disabled people with mobility issues because there is only so much about your disability that you can control. Disabled people do not always enjoy cooking, but for those who do, it is possible to cook safely as long as you know your limits and aren’t afraid to ask for help when you know it’s not safe. Disabled people with physical disabilities can cook, and often we don’t because of the lack of accessibility. How do you stay safe in the kitchen? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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