Better Kitchen Design For The Handicapped
The kitchen design for the handicapped simply lies in creating an environment without barriers. It is often known that working in a normal kitchen can be a bit difficult for handicapped people. It becomes a challenge itself to use a kitchen which is quite not fitted for them. So, a kitchen should be well adapted to the needs of the person using it.
Appliances
The major kitchen appliances should be placed where it can be used comfortably. The refrigerator and the dishwashers should be a compact model that can be mounted easily at an accessible height. A separate wall oven with doors opening sideways is recommended. This will allow the person to get closer while inserting and removing the cooked items. Switches should be put in places that are easily reachable.
Adjusting the doors of the cabinets
The doors of the base cabinets should be removed and the base of the cabinet cut out in front of the sink. This way the person in the wheelchair can roll up to the sink rather than putting the wheelchair parallel and twisting it sideways making it quite uncomfortable.
Instead of doors of the cabinet opening sideways, drawers should be installed. It is much easier this way to open them without much hindrance of moving or giving way for the door to open. Pull-out trays, bins and shelves will overcome the barriers that accompany the traditional shelves.
A U-shaped handles are more easy to use than the usual knobs that are uncomfortable to grasps.
Height of the cabinet and countertops
While designing a kitchen for the handicapped, the biggest barrier that needs to be deal with is the height. For people in wheelchairs, the design should be apt according to their sitting position. The height of the cabinets and countertops should be appropriate to allow them to access items easily. It should be not be in a height where they have to reach high or stoop low to get the items.
Spaces
It is indeed very much important for the kitchen to have an ample amount of space. The space should be adjustable for the wheelchairs to move without any hindrances.
Storage of food, cooking implements and dishes
For wheelchair users, the kitchen storage place should be close to the appropriate working area. It should be in a distant where it can be reached easily. Heavy pots, pans, dishes and utensils should be kept in the bottom shelves while lighter objects are kept in the top selves.
So the art of designing a kitchen for the handicapped needs special consideration to put in mind. Kitchen for them should be more functional and barrier.
