A safer way to boil water

Something as simple as knowing when water in a pot has boiled can be a challenge for many low vision patients. They can't see that the water has come to a boil. Someone with good hearing can hear the sound of boiling water. However, many patients who have lost vision also have lost some hearing. They can't see or hear the boiling water and getting very close to a pot of boiling water is not safe. Fortunately, there is an inexpensive tool that makes things much easier, the "Boil Alert" disk ($4.00). The disk is made of glass and sinks to the bottom of a pot filled with water. When the water in the pot begins to boil, the disk bounces around and makes enough noise so that almost everyone can hear it. We think that it is a simple but elegant way to safely boil water.

Thank you to Nancy Rozen, one of our occupational therapists, for discovering the Boil Alert.