I run Aberdeen House III, an assisted living home in Rockville, Maryland, and I buy almost everything on Amazon. This page is short on purpose. It only lists things I bought myself and still use, whether at home or at the care home. When something new earns a spot, I add it here.
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In the kitchen
Salad spinner
A bowl with a basket inside that spins the water off washed greens. I use it a lot, both at home and at the care home.
Korean cooking runs on greens that need to be dry: namul, lettuce and ssam leaves for wraps. It replaces pressing everything between paper towels, and it holds up when I’m prepping meals for everyone at the care home.
Colavita white balsamic vinegar (17 oz)
It goes into almost everything I make: salads, bibim-guksu (spicy cold noodles), Korean seasoned vegetables, the soy dipping sauce for dumplings, naengmyeon broth, and chilled cucumber soup. I go through it so fast that I buy it by the box.
I don’t use bottled dressings. Too many are made with oils I’d rather avoid and a long list of additives. Instead I mix white balsamic with olive oil and a little salt or soy sauce, keep it in a bottle, and pour it over salads. At the care home, the residents love it.
Silicone freezer trays (2-cup, for soup)
Making soup every single day is a lot of work. So I make a big pot of curry or miyeokguk (seaweed soup), portion it into these trays, and freeze it. When I’m not home, my daughter doesn’t have to worry about what to eat.
The same idea works for a parent who lives alone or finds cooking hard now: cook once, portion it, and there’s a real meal waiting in the freezer.
If the tray is microwave-safe silicone, you can heat a portion right in it. Check the label on yours first.
Smaller silicone freezer trays (for sauces and broth)
The smaller version of the same idea, for sauces, broth, and anything you only need a little of at a time.
Stove gap covers
Food kept falling into the gap between my cooktop and the counter. It wasn’t sanitary, and cleaning it out was a real pain.
These slide into the gap and close it off. Nothing falls in anymore. It isn’t fancy or expensive; it just gets rid of one small annoyance I used to deal with every single day.
Around the house
Magnetic screen door
A mesh screen that hangs in a doorway and closes by itself with magnets. I put one on every door, so in summer I can leave the doors open and air the house out without letting bugs in.
It matters most at the care home. When many people share a home, fresh air is basic, and before these, bugs meant we couldn’t keep the doors open. I’ve ordered them twice now.
Where these show up on the blog
For more on setting up a calm, comfortable room for an older parent, see Healing Spaces. For everyday meals, see Diet & Nourish.