Millions of people have lost their vision due to accidents, disease or the aging process. Most haven't lost their appetites or their desire to remain independent in their own kitchen. They would like to continue preparing meals for themselves, their families and friends. People who are blind or have low vision can be fabulous cooks, just like people who have the full use of their vision.

As with any cook, the low vision chef will develop techniques that make meal preparations easier and less time consuming. It is no more dangerous for a person who is blind or has low vision than it is for a person with sight. It is still inadvisable to leave a potholder on the stove. It is still important to clean up spills quickly before they cause a fall. The difference may be that the person with low vision needs to be more organized and have better safety habits when using knives or cooking at the stovetop. There is no need for fear in the kitchen. Accidents are caused by carelessness, not by low vision.

You will not need any special equipment to be a successful low vision cook. Many common kitchen gadgets and appliances will be suitable. The staff at Dynamic Living has gathered some tips and ideas for your consideration.

Organize The Kitchen

• In order to be able to find things consistently, tools, spices and other items will need to be stored away in the same place each time. But if a visitor puts something away improperly, you may need to find a different way to tackle the task until the item shows up again. It will, just like it does in kitchens where the cook has full use of their vision.

• The same principal applies to storing groceries and paper goods you use daily. Plan where to keep each item and be consistent.

• When you can, store food in different types of containers. If you buy your canned goods in varying sizes, you will be able to tell the peas from the green beans. If that is not possible, you can make up index cards with large print, strokes of color or Braille on them and secure these cards around each container with a rubber band. If you use cards on cans, keep them set aside in a safe place as you consume the contents. The cards then become a convenient shopping list!

• Grocery shopping can be accomplished different ways, depending on time and the services available to you. Many markets have employees who will shop with you or you can shop with a friend. You can also shop online or by phone and have the groceries delivered to your home.

Food Preparation

• Consider prepared foods or frozen vegetables to cut down on time spent in the kitchen. Ask the butcher at the market to quarter the chicken or cube the beef for you.

• Organize equipment and supplies before beginning each task so you have what you need at hand as you need it. To prevent bumps and bruises, keep cabinet doors either open flat or fully closed. Close draws once the items have been removed or stored away.

• Touching food is okay if your hands are clean. Many cooks have always used their hands to squish out lumps in the batter or to kneed dough. You may need to wash your hands a little more frequently. Or you can get used to the feel of textures at the end of a spatula or spoon. Is it slower to stir because it is thickening? Is there more left in the bowl because the surface isn't smooth yet? If you drop the batter or liquid from a spoon into the pot, does the resulting drop sound right?

• To pour a liquid, use your finger to align the edge of the pot, pitcher or coffee pot with the edge of the cup or bowl. Raise the pot slightly and move the edge over the cup while you pour. Practicing over the sink a few times should enable you to pour with confidence. Listen for the sounds as the cup fills, feel the weight, estimate the time; all are cues for when the cup will be full. An alternative is liquid level indicators that beep when the liquid is close to the edge.

• Use big print or color coded measuring spoons and cups. Or mark the ones you use most frequently with tactile cues that won't wash off.

• Cookie trays make a terrific surface to prepare food on. Any spills or runaway pieces are confined and can be moved to a sink for easy cleanup. Similarly, do your grating or chopping or slicing directly into a bowl.

• A damp cloth or a Dycem non-slip mat can be used to prevent bowls or plates from slipping away.

Cooking

• Use the end of the spatula or fork to locate meat in the fry pan before flipping.

• Many appliance knobs and dials come with existing tactile cues, like a raised letter, and indent or even a screw. There should also be a reference point on the background surface. If there is nothing there, or not enough variations, you can file a small notch, apply bump dots, drops of glue or nail polish. If there is enough room, you can use felt or other textured dots to help you identify specific locations. You can remove most knobs to apply a marking on the surface behind the knob (make sure you don't obstruct the ability to re-seat the knob properly). Use minimal markings to keep it simple. For example, on a stove, mark every 100 degrees. It will be easy enough to set the dial at quarter points once you are oriented properly.

• Microwave templates can be etched or have tactile markings added as described above. Be aware not to block heat sensitive portions of the template. It is also possible to locate inexpensive microwaves that still have dial features rather than templates.

• Use your other senses, too. Listen for when the eggs boil or feel the vibration of the boiling water on the handle. Does it smell like it is almost done cooking? Or use a tactile or talking timer.

There's no reason to be afraid to step into the kitchen to prepare a snack or a meal. For any cook, careful work habits will reduce accidents. For the low vision cook, organization will go a long way to reducing frustration. Take your time, do some experimenting, have some fun. Great meals are waiting for your creative touch!

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© Copyright 2004 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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