Author Topic: Cooking and dementia  (Read 6253 times)

Offline Brooky

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Cooking and dementia
« on: October 23, 2012, 02:54:29 PM »
Hi all, I am trying to find out if something is out there in the fire safety world or not, and thought you guys can help me.
There is a rise these days in vulnerable people being moved out of long term care homes and back into the community, with assistance obviously.
I am aware that some of the money normally used to care for them in the centres, can be devolved down to them to decide how best to spend that money so as to provide the facilities required.
I haven’t got any problem with all of that, after all, who is the best to decide what they need?
I was talking to a chappy from the local authority who had recently authorised exactly this. He bought an oven for a man suffering from dementia, at the mans insistence (he felt cooking helped him relax).
Anyway, long story short, 4BA and a 2HR later.........His kitchen went up.
My query is this, is there a cooker out there adapted for this kind of scenario?
The person had started his cooking, then forgot. We all do it, but not to this extent. His smoke alarm had activated, but he was down the shops, booking a holiday.

Is there one that has a 10 minute timer for the hobs and grill? maybe an hour for the oven?
My thought is this, when the person wants to cook their dinner, they press a large button which energises the cooker for a set period and then cuts off. If the person is there, and decides they need longer, they reset the button. If they are looking at Barbados pictures, the cooker goes off.
Does such a thing exist? Is it feasible? Am I going to be a millionaire on the back of this idea?
Thanks for your time reading this longer than average post.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2012, 08:56:11 AM by Brooky »

Offline nearlythere

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Re: Cooking and demntia
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2012, 03:47:14 PM »
Hi all, I am trying to find out of something is out there in the fire safety world or not, and thought you guys can help me.
There is a rise these days in vulnerable people being moved out of long term care homes and back into the community, with assisstance obviously.
I am aware that some of the money normaly used to care for them in the centres, can be devolved down to them to decide how best to spend that money so as to provide the facilities required.
I havent got any problem with all of that, after all, who is the best to decide what they need?
I was talking to a chappy from the local authority who had recently authorised exactly this. He bought an oven for a man suffering from dementia, at the mans insistance (he felt cooking helped him relax).
Anyway, long story short, 4BA and a 2HR later.........His kitchen went up.
My query is this, is there a cooker out there adapted for this kind of scenario?
The person had started his cooking, then forgot. We all do it, but not to this extent. His smoke alarm had activated, but he was down the shops, booking a holiday.

Is there one that has a 10 minute timer for the hobs and grill? maybe an hour for the oven?
My thought is this, when the person wants to cook their dinner, they press a large button which energises the cooker for a set period and then cuts off. If the person is there, and decides they need longer, they reset the buton. If they are looking at barbados pictures, the cooker goes off.
Does such a thing exist? Is it feasible? Am I going to be a millionaire on the back of this idea?
Thanks for your time reading this longer than average post.
If he left the cooker on and went to buy a holiday would he notice if the cooker was not wired to the mains? Get him a MW to cook with.
We're not Brazil we're Northern Ireland.

Offline Northern Uproar

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Re: Cooking and demntia
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2012, 04:06:11 PM »
Is there one that has a 10 minute timer for the hobs and grill? maybe an hour for the oven?
 Am I going to be a millionaire on the back of this idea?


Sadly not:

http://www.jordan-shaw.co.uk/hob_angel.php

Midland Retty

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Re: Cooking and demntia
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2012, 04:27:19 PM »
You may also wish to look at the "cooker minder" at:

http://www.raate.org.uk/2008/wp-content/uploads/proceedings/Carey-Smith.pdf

Offline SamFIRT

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Re: Cooking and demntia
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2012, 06:39:37 PM »
Quote
Get him a MW to cook with.

Microwaves can be just as dangerous for people with dementia, or even eyesight problems; as it is very common for items to be placed in a microwave for far too long leading to ignition (or at the very least severe smoke logging)....recently said to me...”I followed the instructions and cooked it for 25 mins”.... or the  occupier forgets they had already cooked it and set it again.... and again... and again.

The switch may be the answer...... however people may then die from food poisoning..... Perhaps there should be more carers....  :-\
Sam

Offline Brooky

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Re: Cooking and dementia
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2012, 08:57:13 AM »
Thanks guys. Ill look into both of those.