Overcoming Loss of Hand Strength in the Kitchen

Let Gadgets Help With Chopping Foods or Opening Jars

Jan 1, 2009

Daily tasks may be an ordeal as we get older or injured. Trying to chop onion for a healthy stir-fry makes us resort to cheese and crackers. Let gadgets help!

Whether from arthritis, injury, or simply aging, there comes a time when we need assistance with daily tasks, particularly in the kitchen. There are a variety of these devices on the market today, and more appearing constantly. Below are just a few examples.

Slicing/Chopping

Specialized gadgets for these tasks include the multi-blade Emson Rolling Slicer® shown in photo and Vidalia Onion Chopper™. Some still require varying degrees of “oomph”. Try one before you buy if you can, but most are fairly inexpensive. Vidalia Onion Chopper requires some muscle, but works beautifully although It is difficult to clean.

In addition to the usual food processors, there are other electric devices requiring only the touch of a button. Naturally, these will cost more. The mini-choppers (i.e., Cuisinart) are not as bulky and would be sufficient for 1-2 person households. The Salad Shooter™ is handheld and compact. The drawback to some of these is taking them apart for cleaning after each use.

Many gadgets do double duty, i.e., slicing and chopping. A multipurpose device will save space and clean-up time.

Opening Jars/Cans

Everyone has used a rubber piece to open a jar. Today’s market has a device to pop open that vacuum-seal monster (in photo) and grippers of all kinds for twist-offs. There is a gadget with a slot at one end for those pesky pull-tabs (although it doesn’t work on the larger ones).

Now there are electric machines that will open either twist-off or vacuum-seal jars, i.e. Black & Decker Lids Off™. This is bulkier than a can opener so keep that in mind if your space is limited.

Electric can openers, often with knife sharpeners, have been around for awhile, but some of the new ones are worth checking out, i.e. hand-held models not leaving a sharp edge (One Touch™). These are also compact if your space is limited

Shop and Compare Kitchen Devices

Take a tour of a kitchen or home goods store to check out the latest ideas on gadgetry for the cook. The internet can also be used to shop and buy items. Discount stores, such as Target, or the internet would be cheaper than specialty stores when ready to buy.

Any difficulty you have in the kitchen probably has multiple tool solutions. Compare each as to cost, convenient storage space, and, most important, whether it would be easy for you to use. Peter Walsh from his book, It’s All Too Much, points out that the kitchen accumulates often useless gizmos. Buy and keep only those items useful to you now. If you can’t find it, you won’t use it.

Start chopping and eating that delicious produce. As included in 20,000 Quips & Quotes by Evan Esar, “The relative value of health and wealth depends on which one you’ve lost.”

The copyright of the article Overcoming Loss of Hand Strength in the Kitchen in Physical Disabilities is owned by Peggy Williams. Permission to republish Overcoming Loss of Hand Strength in the Kitchen in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.