A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis leads to the need for wheelchair accessible features for a Madison area cooking fanatic. "Hammer with a Heart" comes through with the help from Bella Domicile and others.

Project Home started "Hammer with a Heart" 11 years ago and was able to help 8 families this year with home repairs. Bella Domicile was happy to donate the kitchen cabinetry for the home owned by Zanne Gray.

Zanne, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, is only able to move about with a wheelchair. Her home was not wheelchair accessible, which made even cooking a hard task. Because cooking was such a big part of Zanne's life before the diagnosis, we wanted to get her into a kitchen she could use. We worked with one of our manufacturers, Cardell Cabinetry, to donate handicap access cabinets for the whole kitchen. This included a custom cabinet and raised dishwasher for easier access.

For individual who find themselves facing difficult health crisis or a tough financial situation, their home is often the last thing they can think about. "Hammer with a Heart" by Project Home fills this void for area families. Bella Domicile is honored to be a part of it.

We hope to post before and after photos soon.

Does Your Child Like to Help Cook

The little person at our house is very curious about cooking and always wants to be on the counter when I am working at the stove. He likes to see thing boil and watch me stir what is in the pot. I am always nervous about him being so close to the stove and often times find him an activity to do while I am cooking. I like it that he is interested in cooking because I want to teach him how to cook for when he is out on his own one day, but the safety concern is so great.

 

This may be my answer! The induction cook top. 

What is induction?  A powerful, high-frequency electromagnet, placed under the unit's ceramic surface. When a magnetic material--such as a cast-iron skillet--is placed in the magnetic field that the element is generating, the field induces energy into that metal. That transferred energy causes the metal—the cast-iron skillet--to become hot. By controlling the strength of the electromagnetic field, we can control the amount of heat being generated in the skillet. The wonderful part about this type of cooking is that the ceramic surface only becomes hot when a pan is placed on top of it. When the pan is removed, the surface cools faster than a regular conventional cook top. You still have the safety concern with hot food in the pots and pans, but this does alleviate some of the concern and makes it a bit easier to have the little person watch me cook.

Aging in Place: Universal Design

 I spoke with my Grandma this past weekend (84yr old ranch wife turned banker, turned quilter, turned husband caretaker). The conversation went something like this:

G: Hello

M: Hey grandma, how are you?

G: Oh hi there. It is so nice to hear your voice. We are doing pretty well.  How about yourself?

M: We are doing great. I wanted to thank you for the birthday gift.

G: Oh you are welcome. Thank you so much for sending the pictures. Your son is getting so big and his school picture was just so precious.  Grandpa really loves looking at his pictures.

M: Speaking of grandpa, how is he doing?

G: Oh he is fine. Sits in his chair and looks at the tv most of the day.

M: Did you get the new hand rail installed? And how is the new walk-in shower working?

G: Yes, the hand rail is installed and the shower is a blessing. It is so nice for grandpa to walk right in without any problems. He still isn’t walking much, but he is getting along.

M: Are you still going up and down the stairs? Have you thought anymore about us moving your bedroom to the main level in July when we are home?

G: Oh I am getting along pretty well. Did you do any more research on the elevator chairs?

This is just a small portion of a long phone conversation about doing minor remodeling projects to a home that was built in the 70’s. Conversations like this are taking place more often and I couldn’t resist sharing my story. 

Like many others, I am a concerned family member that wants to make sure their parents/grandparents are safe in their own home. Pretty soon my grandma and/or grandpa may be in a wheel chair and I know their house will not be accommodating. The hall ways are big enough, but the door ways and kitchen would need to be remodeled.

Here are 5 tips from Signature Kitchens and Baths for creating a universal kitchen space.

1.       Install multileveled base cabinets. A universal kitchen should have 42-45 inch countertops for standing cooks, a 36 inch work surface, and a 30-32 inch surface for seated cooks.

2.       Choose a smooth countertop surface. These surfaces make it easier to move items across the counter to tidy up after cooking.

3.       Select easy-to-use appliances. A side-by-side refrigerator with an ice and water dispenser on the door makes it easier for those in wheelchairs and individuals who have trouble bending. Look for a range with controls in the front, so it isn’t necessary to bend over the burners, and install a pull-out counter under a wall oven to make transferring dishes less dangerous.



4.       Use smart faucets. You can find hands-free, electronic faucets, which will accommodate homeowners with arthritis. Another option is mounting the faucet on the side of the sink for ease of reach. Also, consider mounting a faucet over the cook top, so there’s no need to lug pots back and forth from the sink.

5.       Install nonslip flooring and avoid throw rugs, which can trip-up unsteady walkers and even small children.

For more information, I have attached a helpful article of practical design approaches for universal appeal.

http://www.jacksondesignandremodeling.com/news/universal-appeal