Accessibility tip please

jennand
jennand Member Posts: 131
in Food and Diet

OK, I have RH but essentially this question is for my M in L but could help me too. She loves red salmon sandwiches but has difficulty opening the tin. She has arthritis in her hands which is compounded by only having a thumb & index finger on her right ( dominant hand). She’s 97 & lives in a retirement village so I am not always on hand to open the tin in preparation. She can’t use an electric opener - to be fair, I swear a lot when using mine! I’ve been trying to find a fridge pot with plastic flip off lid but can only find pink salmon by John West. How do others solve problems opening the tins. BTW, ring pulls are also difficult for her.

Comments

  • jonr
    jonr Member Posts: 425

    Hi Jannand,

    Sounds like you may need to explore other creative ideas. I've had a quick Google and apparently tinned red salmon can be frozen once the tin's been opened. If your MIL has a freezer then one possibility would be to get a bulk load of tins in and when you can visit, open the lot, drain and decant into plastic bags and tie them before putting into the freezer. When wanted they could be taken out to defrost and the knot cut with a pair of scissors (if your MIL can manage scissors), ready for salads or butties. The other alternative is to put into Tupperware style containers but these are not only bulky but I think too impractical to open, even for the able-bodied. By all accounts, tinned red salmon can last for upto 3 months in the freezer.

    Maybe a suggestion?

    Jon

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764

    Just in case. you don't realise....

    There are two kinds of electric càn openers. The older kind sits on the kitchen counter and plugs in. I recently decided I needed a third hand for mine so I bought one of the more modern ones which are smaller and battery operated.. You just have to position it correctly on top of the can but this isn't difficult. Then you push its button once and off it goes. You push it again to stop it. It works on ring pulls too.

    Maybe you were already aware of these but I just thought it worth a mention.

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Sha
    Sha Member Posts: 3

    Is there no staff in the retirement village who could help on these occasions ?

  • Dasha_Karu
    Dasha_Karu Member Posts: 17
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/708016#Comment_708016

    I was just going to ask the same question. But It sounds like it is a retirement Village with self contained flats apartments. You do get carers in the mornings and at night to check on people. If the morning carer would open the tins for her. Iv worked in Care Homes with the elderly for over 25 years,,,,,, But My job was always in Residential homes with staff in situ 24/7/ 365.

    But I do know a little about the self contained apartments/ flats...... They do have warders going around checking on people.


    My advice is I know it seems long winded but...... You can write a letter to the manager of the homes and explain the situation. or one of the carers if you see them when you visit. A letter would be better or even a email. and that can be kept in a care plan under her diet requirements.

    example Could a carer please open my MIL tin of Salmon that she would like at lunch time and put it in a bowl for her and refridgrate. This will enable her to make her sandwiches easier

    Hope this helps you...


    Regards Dasha.

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