What this help covers

This help may concern a practical check of the kitchen: placing light objects at a more accessible height, grouping utensils used every day, clearing the passage between the sink, refrigerator, hob and table, freeing a preparation area, avoiding unstable piles, reporting a cupboard that is too high, a saucepan that is too heavy, insufficient lighting, an obstructing cable or an organization that forces the person to make tiring or risky movements.

The aim is not to transform the kitchen, repair appliances or guarantee complete independence. The aim is to reduce obvious obstacles, make everyday actions simpler and clarify when a specialized intervention becomes necessary.

Specific points to watch in the kitchen

• Climbing onto a chair, unstable stool or box to reach a cupboard can cause a serious fall.
• Heavy objects placed too high or too low can lead to loss of balance, pain or a fall.
• A hot saucepan, full kettle, poorly oriented pan or protruding cable can create a burn risk.
• An electrical appliance, socket, extension cord, hob or gas installation must not be moved or modified without qualification.
• Knives, cleaning products, medication, sensitive food or personal objects must not be reorganized without clear consent and without a logic that the person can understand.
• When the person is fragile, confused, very tired or has already fallen, simple help must never push them to cook alone if the situation seems uncertain.

Preferred providers

Before the intervention

• Identify the difficulty precisely: cupboards too high, objects too heavy, cluttered worktop, lack of light, narrow passage, fatigue or repeated movements.
• Check whether the person uses a cane, walker, wheelchair, high chair, resting seat or another mobility aid.
• Ask whether a recent fall, burn, forgotten hob, fear of cooking, significant fatigue or difficulty preparing meals has been reported, without making a medical diagnosis.
• Respect the person’s habits: do not move essential objects without their agreement and without clearly explaining the new organization.
• Check whether the person is a tenant or owner and whether authorization is needed before any fixing, furniture modification or visible adaptation.
• Confirm that the requested intervention does not require electrical connection, gas intervention, plumbing, load-bearing fixing, furniture cutting, appliance modification or structural change.
• Observe hot areas, cables, extension cords, knives, cleaning products, objects on the floor, unstable piles and heavy objects placed high up.
• Refuse any intervention if safety depends on an appliance, technical installation, medical diet, uncertain cognitive ability or fragile physical ability.

What DomusHelp does not cover

• Regular meal preparation, feeding assistance, medical diet, nutritional advice, swallowing supervision or health assessment.
• Repair, moving, installation or modification of an oven, hob, refrigerator, dishwasher, extractor hood or electrical appliance.
• Intervention on gas, electricity, water, drainage, ventilation, heating or any technical connection.
• Non-qualified fixing of load-bearing shelves, wall cabinets, wall supports, worktops or elements that could fall or injure someone.
• Moving heavy furniture, dismantling a kitchen, transforming furniture, renovation or structural modification.
• Promising that a new organization will prevent falls, burns, forgetting, domestic accidents or loss of independence.
• Testing an appliance, hob, oven, step stool or storage area by a vulnerable, tired, confused or unstable person.

Need help making a kitchen more practical in the district of Saint-Maurice?

DomusHelp can help clarify the request, distinguish simple help from a technical intervention and refer the person to an appropriate local provider.