Eating
EATING
A moistened paper towel placed under your plate will keep it from slipping on a formica tabletop.
The diameter of eating utensil handles can be increased with cylindrical foam (available as pipe insulation at DIY outlets).
A small rubber ball can be punctured so a knife, fork or spoon can be forced through.
Wide‑handled plastic mugs are easier to lift when all four fingers can be placed inside the handle. This way a firm grasp isn't needed to hold and tip the cup toward the mouth. Inexpensive insulated mugs with wide handles can sometimes be purchased at sport shops, souvenir shops or supermarkets.
Lightweight plastic bowls are easier to handle than glass or ceramic dishes. A rubber mesh mat will keep them from slipping on the counter or in the lap.
A sport‑type plastic drink container often has a hole containing a straw in its cover which eases/allows access to its contents.
Annoying phlegm can be decreased by limiting the intake of dairy foods, but be sure to get your daily calcium quotient in other ways.
Suck crushed ice before eating if you have difficulty swallowing. It helps desensitise the gag reflex.
Where swallowing is difficult, a package of frozen peas placed on the front of the neck may prove of assistance by relaxing muscle spasm.
When food gathers in the back of the mouth, tip the chin downward, not upward, to improve swallowing.
A little meat tenderiser, papaya or pineapple-juice on the back of the tongue will help to break up thick saliva and aid swallowing.
A damp dish towel wrapped around the base of a bowl will keep it from slipping on a smooth work top or tray.
A simple portable aid to help get the hand to the mouth can be made with any forearm support such as a flat length of wood or even split bamboo (with several slips of velcro tacked on to secure the arm) and attached in the middle on both sides with a pin to two large dowels which are fixed to a heavy wooden base. This forearm prop can be placed on a table where it acts like a seesaw, lifting the hand to the mouth when the elbow is dropped.
A soap holder which has multiple suction supports makes an effective plate, glass or cup stabiliser. This gadget can be purchased in most supermarkets or DIY shops.
An extra‑long plastic straw can be used to eliminate the need to lift a glass when drinking.
“Pat Saunders” drinking straws cost about £1.00 each and are designed to prevent the liquid from running back down the straw, making them useful for people with weak “suction”.
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