Parkinson’s Blade Support
Lady with Parkinson’s progressively slouched sideways to the right when sitting in a chair. This made it impossible to sit at the table to eat with the rest of the family. The support blade enables her to sit at the table securely leaving her arm free to use utensils or drink from a glass.
The Challenge
The client found it impossible to support herself on a chair to eat and sit at the table with other members of her family because she progressively slouched sideways to the right until she would fall off the chair. No commercial solutions were available that would support her and leave her arm free to use utensils or hold a glass.
The solution
3mm aluminium, 100mm wide was formed using a former and heat into a sharp right angle, edges were curved to eliminate risk. Shaped protection foam was secured to the aluminium using double sided tape along any exposed edge. The support blade was fixed to the back of the chair using coach bolts, trapped in the aluminium support blade, with a 12mm plywood member, secured using washers and wing nuts. The position of the blade was adjusted on the chair back so that it fitted under the armpit of the client leaving her arm to move freely.
The benefit
The client could now sit at the table and eat with the rest of her family, something she had been unable to do for many months.
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