Adaptive Eating Utensils for Rheumatoid Arthritis

People with advanced rheumatoid arthritis often experience joint deformities in the upper body that make it difficult for them to complete the basic tasks of daily living. Eating is one of these basic tasks that can be affected by arthritic deformities of the upper body. If you’re one of these people, mealtimes may already be a frustrating time of day for you. Here are some helpful tips to increase your independence during meals.

First, move your arms and hands and see what movements you can use. Maybe you can’t wrap your fingers around a spoon handle anymore, but maybe you can pinch it between your thumb and the side of your hand. Can you move your shoulder? Can you bend your elbow? Can you rotate your forearm so your palm is facing the ceiling? Move each joint and see what kind of movement you have or don’t have. This will help you determine how you should adapt your place during meals.

Then eat a meal and pay attention to what the main problems are while you eat. Decide if the problem that is really bothering you is easy to fix. Maybe the whole problem is that your food slides off your plate and you can’t stop it. Maybe you can’t cut the meat. Maybe you can put the food on your spoon or fork, but you can’t turn your wrist enough to get it to your mouth without spilling it. These are just examples of problems that can occur. You can have these or others, or combinations. Try to determine what is causing the problem and how easy it is to fix it. Having someone else help you with this can be a good idea, as another set of eyes may see a problem with a plate, glass, or utensil that you don’t notice.

After evaluating the situation, you are ready to decide what accommodations you might need during meals. Some adaptations are simple and others are specialized. Here are some examples of simple problems and adaptations to correct them:

Problem: Your plate slides across the table and you can’t stop it.
Solution: Place a damp cloth under it, or purchase non-slip shelf liner at your local discount store and place a piece of it under your plate.

Problem: You can’t tilt your glass or cup to drink.
Solution: Use a short straw to drink liquids.

Problem: You can hold on to your cutlery, but it just doesn’t feel secure or sometimes it falls off.
Solution: Buy plastic-handled picnic utensils or similar cutlery that have slightly larger handles. These utensils are easier to grip than traditional cutlery, but they are not specialized and are available at your local discount store.

If your eating problems are more complicated than this, you may need adapted plates or utensils. Thanks to the Internet, these are also readily available. There are many different types of adapted cookware and sometimes the selection can be confusing. Here are some examples of problems and solutions involving adapted dishes and utensils:

Problem: Can’t close fingers around small handled utensils.
Solution: Buy custom utensils with large handles or foam tubes to fit around the handles of the utensils you have. Foam tubes are less expensive, but wear out faster. Large-handled utensils cost more, but are more hygienic and last longer.

Problem: You can’t cut your meat.
Solution: buy a tilting knife. This type of knife is specially designed to allow you to use a rocking motion to cut, rather than the traditional sawing motion.

Problem: Your food slides off your plate and you can’t stop it.
Solution: Buy a plate protector or a plate with a rim. Both elements are designed to prevent food from slipping or falling off the plate.

Problem: He has severe ulnar deviation and can’t hold on to anything.
Solution: buy a universal sleeve. This is a simple elastic band that slips over the palm of your hand. The band has a pocket that will hold the handle of a spoon or fork, allowing you to hold the utensil yourself.

There are many more examples of adaptable utensils available. Adaptable utensils and plates have been designed to overcome almost any obstacle to eating. Many of these devices are available online from Arthritis Supplies, so visit their website at http://www.arthritissupplies.com to browse their selection of adaptable plates and utensils.

If determining what accommodations you need for eating is too overwhelming for you, an occupational therapist can help you decide. You don’t need to see an OT for months to do this. Two or three sessions to assess your diet and determine which adaptive devices will work for you should be enough. Check your insurance plan to see if occupational therapy is covered and where an occupational therapist is located in your area. For more information on occupational therapy, visit the American Occupational Therapy Association at http://www.aota.org/Consumers.aspx

Eating doesn’t have to be a frustrating and humiliating experience. Adapting your utensils and plates can help you regain your independence and dignity during meals, so take a look at your meal schedule and take control today.