Good kitchen safety for older adults comes down to a few habits and fixes: stay in the kitchen while food cooks, keep anything that can burn away from the stove, store everyday items at waist height, light work areas brightly and wipe up spills right away. If a fire starts and won't go out, get out and call 911.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The kitchen packs heat, high shelves and wet floors into one small room. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) calls cooking the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says that in 2020, adults 65 and older had 2.5 times the risk of dying in a fire compared with the total population.
NFPA research, based on 2020 to 2024 annual averages, shows where the trouble starts. Ranges and cooktops account for 51% of home cooking fires. Unattended equipment is a factor in a quarter of them and in half of the deaths. Clothing is the first thing to catch fire in less than 1% of cooking fires, yet those fires cause 4% of the deaths.
Stay with the pan. NFPA says to stay in the kitchen while you fry, grill, boil or broil. If you're simmering, baking or roasting, check the food regularly and stay in the kitchen while it cooks.
Use a timer. NFPA and USFA both suggest a timer to remind you that you're cooking.
Skip the stove when you're drowsy. NFPA advises against using the stove if you're sleepy or have had alcohol. USFA lists medicines and alcohol among the things that raise fire risk, so ask your pharmacist whether yours cause drowsiness.
Clear the cooktop zone. Keep oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels and curtains away from the stovetop (NFPA). CPSC adds that the area around the range should be free of grease build-up and clutter.
Watch your sleeves. CPSC advises against wearing loose-fitting clothes with flowing or oversized sleeves while cooking.
Turn pot handles inward while you cook, as CPSC suggests.
Heat oil slowly. NFPA says wisps of smoke or an oily smell mean the oil is too hot. Turn off the burner or carefully move the pan off it, and add food gently so the oil doesn't splatter.
Never heat the house with the stove. CPSC warns against using a range or oven to heat your home.
Decide now what you would do, because there's little time to think once it starts. Here is NFPA's advice:
Small pan fire: slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Leave the lid on until the pan has completely cooled. Keep a lid beside the pan whenever you cook.
Never throw water on the fire.
Oven fire: turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
If the fire doesn't go out, or you're not comfortable tackling it: get everyone out, close the door behind you, and call 911 from outside.
If in doubt, just get out and call 911. If you do try to fight a fire, NFPA says to make sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out. CPSC suggests keeping a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and remembering PASS: pull the pin, aim low at the base of the fire, squeeze the lever slowly and evenly, and sweep from side to side. Our guide on where to put a fire extinguisher covers placement, and our smoke alarm placement guide explains how far alarms should sit from the stove.
Anti-tip bracket. CPSC says voluntary safety standards require manufacturers to supply anti-tip brackets with new gas and electric ranges. Check that the bracket is attached to the wall or floor and that the range is held firmly in it. If it's missing, contact the manufacturer. CPSC notes that some send replacements at no cost.
Oven door habits. CPSC warns not to push down on an open oven door, use it to support your weight, or set heavy items on it. That matters for anyone who steadies themselves on the stove.
Ventilation. CPSC says kitchen ventilation or range exhausts should work properly, because indoor air pollutants and carbon monoxide can build up in a kitchen with gas appliances. Our guide to carbon monoxide detector placement explains where alarms go.
Outlets and cords. CPSC recommends ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection for countertop outlets, tested monthly, and keeping appliance cords away from the sink and hot surfaces like the range.
If you're buying a new stove for a parent, ask the seller to show you each safety feature and make sure the anti-tip bracket is installed.
Keep the pots, pans and utensils you use most where they're easy to reach. NIA suggests keeping items you use often at waist level or within easy reach. Save the high shelves for things you rarely need.
Never stand on a chair, table or box to reach something (NIA, CPSC). Use a reach stick or ask someone to help.
If you use a step stool, choose a sturdy one with a handrail you can hold on the top step. Make sure it's fully opened and stable on a flat floor, and throw out any stool that wobbles or has broken parts (CPSC). NIA suggests having someone stand next to you.
Sit down to prepare food if standing tires you. NIA suggests preparing food while seated to prevent fatigue or loss of balance.
CPSC says kitchen lighting should be bright and even, especially near the stove, sink and countertop work areas.
Clean up spills right away, and don't walk on a slippery, newly washed floor (NIA).
Skip throw rugs and small area rugs (NIA). No-slip strips from a hardware store can help on tile and wood floors.
Keep electrical and extension cords out of walkways, where they become a tripping hazard (CPSC).
This is an example list built from the guidance above, not an official checklist. Walk through the kitchen and tick off each item.
A timer you can hear, and a lid within reach whenever a pan is on
Nothing that can burn near the burners
Range anti-tip bracket in place
Fire extinguisher in the kitchen, less than 10 years old (CPSC)
Working smoke alarm nearby
Range hood or ventilation working
Countertop outlets GFCI protected and tested monthly
Everyday items at waist height, plus a sturdy step stool with a handrail
Bright, even light over the stove, sink and counters
No throw rugs, and spills wiped up right away
Close-fitting or rolled-up sleeves for cooking
Unattended cooking. CPSC calls it the leading contributor to cooking fires, and NFPA says unattended equipment plays a part in a quarter of home cooking fires and half of the deaths.
Slide a lid over the pan, turn off the burner and leave the lid on until the pan is cool. Never use water. If the fire doesn't go out, get out and call 911.
Start at the stove with a timer, a clear cooktop and a lid nearby. Then move everyday items to waist height, add a step stool with a handrail, brighten the lights and remove throw rugs. If your parent has fallen, tell their doctor. NIA notes a doctor may suggest an occupational therapist, physical therapist or nurse visit the home.
Close-fitting or rolled-up sleeves. CPSC advises against loose clothes with flowing or oversized sleeves while cooking, and NFPA's numbers show clothing fires are rare but deadly.
RoomMend: Safer Home Plans is an iPhone and iPad app that sets up a room-by-room home safety checklist, with guided walkthroughs based on public CDC, NIA, NFPA and CPSC guidance. If you spot a problem, like a missing anti-tip bracket or a wobbly step stool, you can log it in about three taps with suggested fixes, an optional photo and a timeframe, then mark it done and get a reminder to look again after 30 days. It is free with an optional RoomMend Plus purchase, keeps your records and photos on your device, and is not a home inspection or safety certification.
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