After tackling your layout, cabinets and drawers, the next step in your kitchen retrofit for aging in place is planning your countertops, sinks and floors.
The right countertops, sinks and floors can provide added accessibility and enhance food safety and fall prevention efforts for those with mobility or vision problems.
Kitchen Countertops
Height
To make working in your kitchen comfortable for all users, consider installing countertops at varying heights. This will allow them to stand or sit while preparing meals, whichever is most comfortable. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for accessible design require accessible kitchen countertops to be a maximum of 34 inches above the floor. Adjustable-height countertops are also a great option – they should have a 29-inch minimum and 36-inch maximum height, according to the ADA.
You’ll also want to ensure that you have some workspace with countertops that either have no cabinetry underneath or have cabinets that can be easily removed to clear knee space to an ADA-recommended 30 inches wide and 27 inches high to accommodate wheelchairs.
Surfaces & Materials
Edges of countertops should be rounded to prevent injuries if a balance-challenged user falls against or runs into them. Also make sure there are no sharp or abrasive surfaces underneath the counters, which could cut fingers when grabbed.
For food safety, countertop materials should be easy to clean and relatively non-porous. Laminate, stone, stainless steel and solid-surface materials, such as Corian and Soapstone, are generally the best choices. Avoid highly polished or shiny finishes that can create glare that can interfere with vision, making chopping and cutting dangerous and making it harder to discern if food looks spoiled.
Sinks
Height
When doing a kitchen retrofit, you might want to consider installing an adjustable sink (here’s an example). If that’s impractical, you’ll need to ensure that at least one basin of your sink is ADA-compliant, at 34 inches maximum above the floor and with a knee clearance of 27 inches minimum height and 30 inches minimum width for seated users.
Basins
Your kitchen retrofit should include a sink with at least one shallow basin, with a maximum depth of 6.5 inches to allow a seated user to make full use of the sink when washing produce or cleaning dishes.
Faucets
Consider mounting a faucet at the side of your shallow-basin sink for easiest access. Rear-mounted faucets should be positioned not more than 20 to 25 inches from the front of the sink to allow users to reach the back. A pull-out sprayer with a flexible arm is also an excellent option for those with limited movement in hands and arms.
Your faucet’s controls should be easy to operate for those with arthritis or limited movement in their hands. Chose models with lever handles or hands-free controls (make sure the latter have at least a 10-second flow duration.) Pedal controls may also be a good choice.
Soap dispensers should be either motion-controlled or pump-style, preferably with a large pump tab for easy operation.
Flooring
Because falls are among the greatest risks for seniors, flooring is a key consideration in any kitchen retrofit.
Avoid placing any trip hazards, such as rugs or mats, in the kitchen.
Flooring material should be non-slip when wet or dry, preferably with a textured surface to help those with balance problems maintain grip and footing. A vinyl tile, linoleum or marmoleum floor can also provide a bit of a cushion in a fall. As with countertops, durable, easy-to-maintain, stain-resistant materials, such as vinyl or linoleum, are preferable to hardwood, stone or tile, and shiny, glare-producing finishes should be avoided.
In general, avoid tiled or highly patterned flooring, which can create visual confusion for those with vision problems.
Lighting
Adequate lighting is an essential safety feature throughout the house, and it is especially important in the kitchen, where staying safe can depend on the ability to avoid common hazards like hot surfaces, sharp utensils or unnoticed food spoilage.
Glare from overhead lighting can interfere with visual tasks. You can reduce glare with inexpensive bulb diffusers or by installing recessed lighting in the kitchen. LED or CFL bulbs provide better contrast between surfaces than do incandescent bulbs, and both are more energy efficient (and required by most building codes).
Make sure you have adequate task lighting over important work areas like the sink, stove and food-prep areas. And consider installing automatic or motion-sensing nightlights to increase safety in case you need a snack or glass of water after dark.
A version of this post first ran in 2020.
Next week, we’ll finish our kitchen retrofit with a look at appliances that can promote safe aging in place.