Regarding Preparing food descriptors?

Hi SSD,

I believe for PIP, your points are awarded based on 50% or more of the time, what you can't do (over the week).

From what I've read with you mentioning 15 seconds, then this is likely to be an every day occurence where you struggle, which is pretty much 100% of the time I'd say, so you're likely to require your wifes help pretty much all of the time, which is what I'd focus on to score yourself the correct award of points.

Your 15 seconds, would still leave 45 seconds in the minute of what you couldn't do, which is still more than 50%.

Whilst using the microwave is just pushing a button or turning a dial, me personally, I still believe that putting an item into the microwave has to be taken into consideration, but once again, it's all about the "how long can you do this for?"

That's my opinion from what I know on PIP

They don't make them easy to answer - but maybe's one of the other mods may know how better to help you for gaining points.

Hope this helps you a little.

The guides on here are also fab for helping you choose what is the correct option.

Regards, Chris.

Hi SirSupaDupa,
Descriptor 1 requires you to be able to cook and prepare a meal from fresh ingredients. Even if you use a microwave to cook, you still need to be able to peel and chop!(Which I'm not sure you are able to do safely, because your grip is limited and there must be a risk of you cutting yourself with a knife if it slips. )
Realistically, I think you should also consider the whole cooking process.
Peel/chop veg
Put in pan with water
Put pan on heat- cook
Drain veg - could use slotted spoon
However- think also whether you need to move around the kitchen- how do you get chopped veg into the pan, and where is the sink in relation to the cooker?

Then obviously you might have eg meat to cook, and maybe gravy- this would require staying nearby the cooker to stir the gravy,and turn the meat etc
There is also knowing when food is cooked and managing cooking times, and general food hygiene/safety.
How much of these processes can you perform yourself?
What help do you always have, and why?
What do you do that might cause a safety risk, cuts burns, dropping plates or pans and the associated risks?
Consider also
Acceptable standard - dropping things and making slips hazards might comprise not acceptable, as will significant pain, breathlessness, fatigue etc.
Repetition ie as many times as reasonably required throughout the whole day
Reasonable time
ie no more than twice that of able bodied person

If you can't fulfil all of the above 4 criteria then you may not be able to cook and prepare food. (1 f)
This may also be the case if your wife performs most of the cooking processes because you are unsafe, too slow etc. If what you contribute is very little - she is the chef and you are not really an assistant, then you "can't cook and prepare food".
I hope this helps.

LL26