Some of the challenges of cooking!

1) Strength, grip, and dexterity

What gets hard: opening jars, holding awkward tools, lifting pans, steady slicing, carrying hot or heavy things.

What helps:

• Swap twisting for pressing. Jar keys, ring-pull aids, one-touch can openers, and push-button gadgets reduce torque.
• Stabilise everything. Non-slip mats under boards, bowls, and the kettle base. Pan stabilisers to lock the saucepan while you stir one-handed.
• Choose forgiving tools. Rocker knives, wide-handled utensils, lightweight pans with two handles, and clip-on strainers.
• Slide, do not lift. Use oven trays as sliding worktops, a trolley for moving items, and bake in dishes you can serve from.

2) Balance, reach, and posture

What gets hard: standing for long spells, reaching into hot ovens, carrying items across the kitchen.

What helps:

• Sit to prep. A sturdy perching stool halves fatigue and steadies your trunk and shoulders.
• Bring the work to you. Keep daily kit between waist and chest height on your stronger side. Store heavy items low.
• Respect the heat. Oven shelf guards and rack pullers reduce reach. Turn pan handles inwards and cook on the front hobs.

3) Fatigue and pacing

What gets hard: running out of steam mid-recipe, shaky hands when tired, losing motivation at mealtimes.

What helps:

• Batch the hard bits. Chop once, rest, cook later. Freeze pre-chopped onion, carrot, celery, and peppers in flat bags.
• Use time blocks. Fifteen minutes work, five minutes sit, repeat. Set a timer so rests actually happen.
• Choose low-lift meals. One-tray bakes, slow cooker stews, air fryer dinners, microwaveable grains, and pre-washed veg.

4) Cognitive load and sequencing

What gets hard: following instructions, timing multiple elements, memory gaps, and decision fatigue.

What helps:

• Externalise the plan. Short steps on a sticky note, one line each, and tick them off.
• Standardise. Same knife, same board, same pan for most meals, so you think less and cook more.
• Alarms for timing. One alarm per task, labelled, not a single alarm for everything.
• Prepare up front, the simple version. Get ingredients out in order, decant spices into small ramekins, and put stuff away as you use it.

5) Sensory and vision challenges

What gets hard: poor contrast on worktops, steam and noise overwhelming you, reading tiny labels.

What helps:

• High contrast. Dark board for pale foods and a pale board for dark foods. Bold marker labels on jars.
• Calm the noise. Lids on pans, extractor on low, and a quiet timer tone.
• Better lighting. A focused lamp over the prep zone reduces strain and improves accuracy.

6) Safety, burns, and cuts

What gets hard: moving hot liquids, draining pans, steady slicing.

What helps:

• Drain safer. Clip-on strainers or cook pasta in a colander set inside a pot so you lift the colander, not the pot.
• Protect the support hand. Cut-resistant glove for chopping and grating.
• Temperature awareness. Use a talking thermometer or probe so meat and fish are cooked without guesswork.

7) Cost and clutter

What gets hard: buying specialist kit that then lives in a drawer, or spending on prepared food.

What helps:

• Buy multi-use, not single-use. A good non-slip mat, a rocker knife, and a stable board beat a drawer full of gimmicks.
• Cook once, eat twice. Plan meals that turn into tomorrow’s lunch.
• Keep the bench clear. One reachable prep zone with only the essentials out.

8) Emotional weight and confidence

What gets hard: comparing today with the old you, feeling slow, fearing accidents, or dreading the clean-up.

What helps:

• Shrink the goal. Aim for a safe, edible meal, not a showpiece. Consistency builds speed later.
• Celebrate streaks. Two or three home-cooked meals a week is a win.
• Share the load. Ask family to do the heaviest ten minutes, like lifting the roasting dish or chopping a tough squash. That still counts as your meal.

A simple three-step routine that works

1. Prepare the zone, two minutes
   Non-slip mat down, board on top, bin or bowl for scraps on the left or right, tools within reach, stool positioned.
2. Prep in batches, ten to fifteen minutes
   Sit, stabilise the food, use a rocker knife or mini chopper, bag extras for the freezer, and rest before turning on heat.
3. Cook with fewer moves
   Use one-tray or one-pot methods. Set separate alarms for oven and hob. Drain with a clip-on strainer. Serve from the cooking dish onto warm plates.

When to ask for extra support

• Repeated near-misses with heat or knives.
• Weight loss, very low appetite, or persistent fatigue.
• New spasticity or pain that changes how you move in the kitchen.

An occupational therapist can assess your kitchen, recommend grants or equipment, and train you in safer one-handed or low-effort techniques.