KITCHENS FOR THE ELDERLY

Designing a safer, more accessible kitchen.

‘Aging in place’ is becoming something that is preferred by seniors across New Zealand, with the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently and comfortably.

This means more than the comforts of home – it means retaining a sense of independence and ownership well into retirement. As technology advances, we are able to remodel our homes to make this lifestyle easier to obtain and give us the kitchens of the future as we age. Overall, the kitchen is one of the more dangerous rooms in the home. It’s also a room in which we spend a large amount of time.

Sinks are a hotbed of activity in any kitchen. Consider both the height and depth of the sink to give optimal accessibility. It’s much easier to rinse vegetables and dishes in a shallow sink and it will mean that anyone washing the dishes won’t have to bend too far over to reach the drain.

Queen R30

Compact 10

We have shallow sink options that would be ideal in this situation, including Compact 10 and Queen R30 from our range of Regent sinks. All are around 15–20cm deep, which is the recommended depth for making accessibility easier. Matching a shallow sink with tapware with sprayer attachments or pullout nozzles will make washing dishes a breeze. Tapware must be matched with the right type of sink to get the best use out of both.