Feeding device for man with tremor
(posted by P Allchin)
Please reply to Howard Gadian essexwest@remap.info
Essex west have asked for help with the following:
To summarise the service user I am working has
– Severe upper and lower limb tremor (benign essential tremor)
– Chronic lower back pain following workplace injury 1986 restricts rotation and hip flexion
One main issue he is having is feeding. His wife supports him during some meals (depending on the tremor and the food provided). On other meals he struggkes through and needs to hold two hands togthers tightly to allow him to left the cutlery to his mouth.
I have trialled a neater eater but this is a very large piece of equipment that although it is helpful he was not keen. It is not a piece of equipment that could be used outside of the home as it needs to be clamped to a table. http://www.neater.co.uk/eating-aid
I have found an item which looks great but it is only available in the states. https://www.liftware.com/
I have trialled weighted cutlery and this seems (unusually) to increase the tremor. I have trialled putting weight through the wrists (to see if wrist weights would work) but again this increased the tremor.
I was wondering whether remap might be able to think of a solution to help with feeding or your engineers/OT may have come across something like this before.
If you need any further information please do let me know.
Thanks in advance,
Laura Bidgood
Occupational Therapist – Reablement Service
laura.bidgood@towerhamlets.gov.uk
- Skills involved:
- Issues Addresses:
- Activities Helped:
- Location:
- Solution:
Following mail has been addressed directly to Laura.
Hi Laura,
I’m Chair (and most other things!) at Peterborough Remap and have heard you are dealing with a feeding problem.
Some years ago I dealt with a lady with MS who had not been able to feed herself for 5 years because of her tremor emptying her spoon. A neater-eater had failed. I discovered, however, that if I took the weight off her arm (I was just lifting with my index finger under her wrist) her tremor virtually disappeared. I can’t but wonder, given “I have trialled weighted cutlery and this seems (unusually) to increase the tremor. I have trialled putting weight through the wrists (to see if wrist weights would work) but again this increased the tremor”, whether your client would have a similar response?
This resulted in the ‘gallows’ device shown to clamp onto her wheelchair (or any other) table. -made from a quick release clamp, shelf bracket, pulleys from boat chandlers, counterbalancing lead shot in bag, etc. I hope the picture I’m about to take* and attach will explain all but don’t hesitate to ring, or whatever, if you want more.
It’s occurred to me whilst writing this that the lead shot provides some mass damping in the vertical direction but that certainly wasn’t in my thinking at the time. I think we got the best result with a small amount of positive buoyancy. ie client had to pull her arm down (slightly) but it floated up when charged. We also got plenty of tears at her thoughts of being in a respite hotel the following week so would be seen by many feeding herself! And that just reminds me that the shelfbracket folds over the top of the stem and ‘parks’ down its side for transport.
* Client now deceased so I have the gadget back for Rotary talks, etc
Regards
Ian Tanner
38 Kesteven Drive, Market Deeping, PETERBOROUGH, PE6 8DU. UK +44 (0)1778 343236
I’m pretty sure you could get the Liftware sent from the US – have you asked if they will ship to the UK? It looks like quite a cunning device, if a little bit expensive. My Dad has Parkinson’s so this is quite close to home.
Andrew New (Norfolk Central Panel)
Hi Laura, we have made use of a commercially available ‘Steady Spoon’ (from USA) with some success in case of a client with Downs Syndrome. I’ll send the Case Report to your email address.
Best regards
Patrick Wormell (Swindon Panel)