Cooking safety concerns

[Mrscjdawson]

Hello, my Mum finally recieved the diagnosis we have been pushing for for over a year. She is only 58 but has shown signs of decline over the past few years.

Every day brings new challenges and I have given up work to become Mums carer- along with being primary carer for my 3 y/o and 5 y/o!

The main issue I’m battling with at the moment is concerns around cooking, as she still feels this is her role- even though she has done several dangerous things such as giving my Dad food poisoning by serving spoiled food, unknowingly standing in a kitchen filled with smoke, undercooking meat products.

Between my Dad and I, we now cook all of her meals, but if she is ever left unattended for more than 10 minutes, it’s what she automatically does.

Any advice on preventing this?

Thank you

 

[Grannie G]

Would turning the main switch to the cooker off?

 

[Andbreathe]

I set the child locks on mum's oven and hob so she can't switch them on when I'm not there.

 

[sheepfield]

I have not much advice just sympathy. My mother in law lives in sheltered accommodation and when we visit she faffs about for ages making us cups of tea (cold last time as she forgot to switch on the kettle) and serving biscuits on grubby plates. She insists on giving us food to take home with us, which is food that we brought anyway!
I wonder if it's possible to supervise your mum in the kitchen and let her do some 'cooking' though it sounds like she might be diving into the kitchen at all times, not just helping you and your dad.

 

[Helen CW]

Hello, my Mum finally recieved the diagnosis we have been pushing for for over a year. She is only 58 but has shown signs of decline over the past few years.

Every day brings new challenges and I have given up work to become Mums carer- along with being primary carer for my 3 y/o and 5 y/o!

The main issue I’m battling with at the moment is concerns around cooking, as she still feels this is her role- even though she has done several dangerous things such as giving my Dad food poisoning by serving spoiled food, unknowingly standing in a kitchen filled with smoke, undercooking meat products.

Between my Dad and I, we now cook all of her meals, but if she is ever left unattended for more than 10 minutes, it’s what she automatically does.

Any advice on preventing this?

Thank you

As a woman with a husband with early dementia, I don't think there's any way of preventing her from trying to cook unless you either turn the stove off at all times or keep her in your eyesight 24/7. Even with the stove turned off or locks on the handles, she's going to try to cook anyway. Some of what I've noticed regarding my spouse is that he recalls what he used to do and tries to continue doing those things. He has been in the habit of making his own breakfast - which is just a sandwich of turkey and cheese with a cup of tea. We switched the type of bread because he was burning it in the broiler. Thought sliced bread would be easier - pop it in the toaster and make his sandwich. Nope. It's like a new thing and new things and him are not a good match. I saw him put aluminum foil in the microwave and removed it. Told him it causes a fire. Told him to use the toaster for bread, microwave to heat his water for tea. A few days ago, I was heating dinner in the microwave and saw burn marks. Asked him if he put foil in there and he said he thinks so. I told him he could have cause a fire! Said 'I wondered why there was fire in there." It seems he forgot that bread goes in the toaster. He put the bread on foil and put that in the microwave! I have told him several times, but he cannot remember. My husband is 79 and to others he seems like his normal self - unless they are with him at home where he demonstrates his memory lapses or if they have dealt with someone with dementia. I try to give him instructions and he does the opposite. Say go right, he goes left. I hope you can find a solution, but I am not convinced there is one. I went on a search for a safe appliance for a dementia patient and found this forum. I thought of getting a toaster oven but that would be new and he'd have trouble with that too. I hope you find a system that works, but there is so much about dementia that is new to us that every day is like a new day with our affected family member. Good luck to you!

 

[cobden 28]

My Mum (92 and with worsening Alhzeimers) used to let pans on top of the gas stove burn dry, ruining both the food and the saucepan. Her carer has therefore arranged for the gas supply to the kitchen be disconnected with a special switch so that Mum has to use the microwave for ready meals when the carer is not actually present. There are no diffiiculties with Mum using the microwave.

You need to contact the gas board to get this special switch fitted. I would hope that if your Mum cooks with eectricity only that the electric company have a similar scheme available - Mum has only ever coked on gas all her life.

 

[sheepfield]

Oooh wow, it's amazing what could be available out there including shutting off electric or gas to whole rooms.
I have ADHD and repeatedly burn pans despite alarms, reminders, husband prompting etc. I arranged to have our gas hob replaced with electric as I felt it might be safer. Pans heat up more slowly so there's a bit more chance that I'll remember them before they burn. Of course people with dementia don't realise the danger.

 

[backin]

only that the electric company have a similar scheme available

Electric cookers are usually on their own circuit breaker and that can be switched off at the fuse box

 

[Laura40]

For safety reasons similar to yours I had to change the layout of our kitchen so my husband actually became less familiar with it and stopped cooking. I had the council put a gas key in to lock the gas hob. This was in the cupboard beside and I could easily turn on but my husband didn't know it was there. ( No more burnt food or pans)
The toaster went into a cupboard, the microwave was unplugged and he couldn't see the wires to plug it back in. Then I would leave easy and safe food types for him that he could see and access without me worrying.
Eventually he stopped opening cupboard doors so it became easier as I could leave things out that were fine on the kitchen worktops.
I was advised that I could lock cupboard doors etc but I didn't do that as it felt a little too institutional. He is now in a care home and because it is specialised food is really closely monitored and he is much safer but this is quite a few years along the journey.
The council will come into the house and carry out an assessment and help with adaptions they organised the gas and when they were in our house they also offered an extra banister rail, some bathroom adaptions and raisers for our sofa.