Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is a tall order. You have to balance mashed potatoes, green beans, a whole turkey and more. While all this cooking is a challenge for anyone, those with hearing loss may find that cooking the big holiday meal comes with some unique challenges.
Let’s take a look at a few potential dangers in the kitchen and how you can create a safe, stress-free cooking experience.
Recognizing Potential Dangers in the Kitchen
Cooking with hearing loss can lead to missed auditory cues that are essential for safety. Without being able to hear sizzling oil, boiling liquids or the sound of a timer, accidents can happen more easily. Some common risks include:
- Burned food. You might miss a kitchen timer’s beep or an oven alert, leading to burnt dishes or a fire hazard.
- Accidental spills. When you can’t hear boiling liquids, pots and pans can quickly boil over, leading to unwanted spills or burns.
- Slicing injuries. When you can’t hear a knife hitting a hard surface or any other warning sounds, your focus may drift, increasing the likelihood of accidental cuts.
Steps To Create a Safe Cooking Environment
While cooking Thanksgiving dinner may sound stressful, there are ways you can turn it into a safe and calming experience, including:
- Keep frequently used items within arm’s reach. Place utensils, spices and pots where you can quickly grab them without rummaging around.
- Clear clutter from surfaces and floors. A tidy kitchen means less chance of tripping, spilling or knocking over items—clean surfaces and floors between each step for best results.
- Use flashing or vibrating alarms. Use a visual timer that flashes when time is up or a vibrating alarm on your cell phone. This way, you’ll know it’s time to take rolls out of the oven no matter how busy your kitchen gets.
- Turn off music or TV. Fewer distractions help you hear important cooking cues like gravy beginning to boil or a pan starting to crackle.
- Ask for help. Ask your partner or loved ones for help cooking the big meal. They can share the workload and alert you to audio information you may have missed. Ask your helper to look directly at you when they talk for easier communication.
- Wear hearing aids. Hearing aids can help amplify the sounds you need to hear and help you enjoy time with your family and friends while you cook.
Hearing loss affects more than one in eight people in the United States aged 12 and over. For more tips on managing hearing loss and maintaining your hearing aids, contact Today’s Hearing today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.