Tips For Upper Limb Amputees To Manage Kitchen

Managing a kitchen isn’t impossible for amputees. It may take time, but you can get back to cooking after an amputation. You may need the help of some adaptive tools, especially if you feel more comfortable with one-handed cooking. Though you can also get creative with some existing tools. Your prosthetist might also have some customizable options for your prosthetic arm in Palm Beach Gardens for this activity.

Reorganize Kitchen

It’s important to reorganize the kitchen to make it simpler for you to use it. Consider placing pots and pans on open shelves or cabinets with sliding shelves. Keep utensils you use most often in a heavy jar or a tall container on the countertops for easy access.

Arrange Ingredients

Arranging ingredients before you start cooking makes it more convenient. You won’t have to spend time running around looking for the missing ingredient. You can focus on preparing the meal of the day. Gather all the ingredients and place them on the closeby as a chef does at a restaurant or cooking show.

Purchase Adaptive Cutting Board

An adaptive cutting board is especially helpful for those with only the use of one hand. It consists of raised corners, spikes and suction cups. The spikes are helpful for holding vegetables and fruits in place. 

The raised edges help you keep bread slices in place while you apply butter or add vegetables. The suction cups prevent the board from shaking while you use it. Some boards come with attached knives to make chopping easier.

An adaptive workstation comes with more features like removable graters or a holder for jars and bowls.

Open Jars With Adaptive Jar Openers

An adaptive jar opener consists of jar holders that keep the containers in place. They may come with a rubber pad to give you a grip on the cap. This makes opening them much easier.

Use Rocker Knife

A rocker knife is another useful tool for one-handed cooking or even dining. It offers better leverage than a regular knife. It’s built such that you just need to rock it to cut food items. You can find different types of rocker knives 

Use Rolling Pizza Cutters

These round knives aren’t just good for dividing pizzas into slices. You can use them to cut bread, cheese, etc.

Get Clamp-On Peeler

A clamp-on peeler latches onto a surface like a countertop. You can peel vegetables and fruits with the help of the blade attached to it.

Attach Suction Brush Near Sink

A suction brush can make scrubbing dishes, fruits and vegetables simpler. Just attach the brush to the side of the sink and rub the utensil or veggie against it.

One-Handed Egg Cracking

This may take some practice before you master the technique. First, you hit the egg against a hard surface to create a crack in the middle. Then, you use your thumb and index finger to push one half up while the little finger and ring finger push the other half down. This should crack the egg enough to spill its content into a bowl below.

Place Non-Slip Mats

Non-slip mats help you keep bowls and plates in place while you cook. You can also use them to keep appliances in place, line cabinets and create placemats or coasters. Many prefer buying them in bulk as rolls to create mats of different sizes.

Consult Prosthetist

If you don’t want to rely on adaptive devices, consult a specialist in orthotics and prosthetics in Stuart. They can suggest and offer some options to customize your prosthetics to suit your needs like with attachable kitchen tools.

Ask For Help When Needed

In the beginning, you may need help with some activities like peeling vegetables or chopping the meat. Don’t shy away from asking for help in such cases. With practice, these activities will become easier.

These are just some tips that can help you manage a kitchen after an upper limb amputation.