Kitchen Utensils for People With Difficulty Using Hands

Jar and Bottle Openers

• People who have difficulty using their hands find that opening jars and bottles can be a challenge. One common type of adaptive kitchen equipment is the jar or bottle opener. These tools help the user get a firm grip on a jar, thus making it easier to open. For example, a one-handed jar opener has a wedge shape which is lined with rubber and adjusts to hold jars of different sizes; the user can then use one hand to open the jar.

Tools for Food Preparation

• Adaptive kitchen equipment also makes food preparation easier for the disabled, such as cutting boards that clamp onto the side of a countertop so that food does not slide off. A specially designed board holds a slice of bread steady so that the user can spread jam or butter on. Other tools are designed with safety in mind, such as a pot holder that keeps cookware from moving around while the user is cooking.

Dishes

• Handicapped Equipment, an online resource for adaptive products, notes that dishes can be tough to use if a person has difficulty using his hands. Adaptive utensils such as plates and bowls are available with suction cups that keep them from sliding around while the user is eating. Scooper plates and bowls have one side that is higher than the other, making it easier for the user to get food onto a fork or spoon.

Dining Utensils

• Regular forks, knives, and spoons can present a challenge to a person who has arthritis, or is recovering from a stroke or serious injury. Adaptive eating utensils have features such as larger handles to make them easier to grip. For those who suffer from tremors due to conditions such as Parkinson's, weighted utensils provide better control, notes CaregiverProducts.com.