I can no longer use conventional cutlery. My husband has to cut up my food, I can’t manage a knife and fork any more, even a spoon or fork is getting trickier. It’s a bit like feeding a toddler! I’ve resisted buying “special” cutlery, but I think I’m going to have to admit defeat. Anyone any suggestions or recommendations? Also I can’t grip a pen too well either, my handwriting, once very neat, if I say so myself, is mostly an illegible scrawl. Any ideas what might help? Thank you.
Hiya
I have chunky handled spoon with bend in it.
Just eat food with hands! I say that cos daughter and I were out today and she reminded me that I had fingers before cutlery! Adults complicate things-kids see the simple solution!
Soup in a cup instead of plate?
I can’t hold a pen so not written for nearly 4 yrs! Tho I have ‘written’ a book! Found a scribe and took me 3 yrs.
Think out with the box is my suggestion and forget what others think-you need to eat!
Ellie x
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I’m in a similar position. I have a set of cutlery with chunky handles that I bought from IKEA years ago (never seen anything as good since) but even they have become very difficult to use.
Seriously considering these:
Not cheap but reckon they could make life a lot easier. They had some on display at my local MS Centre and they felt like they could do the job.
Ellie
I used to have such nice handwriting, especially for a bloke. Really frustrating that I can’t even hold a pen anymore.
Marc
Marc
I totally get what u r saying but i stand by (every pun intended!!!) what I said to FP, find your own way of maintaining things u want to do! Some of which may involve being less stubborn and asking for help. And yes, that’s from miss independent!
Ellie
Ps also meant to say, I had neat handwriting too but now I ask the carer who has best/neatest writing to things for me!
Upsetting initially but its worked in the long run.
Cannot help with the cutlery.
As for the handwriting:
Get the biggest, chunkiest, pen that you can. It is easier to grip something thick.
Now, hold the pen, but with your forearm resting on the table. Grip that forearm with the other hand, and use that hand to do the up-and-down movements. Your “writing” hand only has to make the lateral movements.
You could get a big, fat pencil, and try with that (I can write better with a pencil - that is “better”, not “good”).
The same approach can also help with controlling a mouse.
Geoff
Some things that I’ve found: wind an elastic band round a pen/pencil/fork and it makes it easier to hold. It still doesn’t make your handwriting any better but it stops you dropping them. I was once in a restaurant and found I couldn’t hold the heavy cutlery. The chef came up with a solution, he twisted cling film into a tight roll and wound it round the fork. Amazingly it helped.
I can’t eat properly with a knife and fork any more. I can mostly cut things up with the knife and fork but can’t manage to put food on the fork and convey it to my mouth with my left hand. So I eat like an American, only I tend to cut it all up first then just use the fork in my right hand. If it’s difficult to cut, my husband cuts things up for me.
When I eat out I tend to choose foods that don’t require too much cutting, so I can just use a fork, ie. pasta, risotto, etc. Or I just use my fingers.
I absolutely hate the fat handled cutlery that is designed for the disabled. The reason is the eating end of the forks & spoons are too big for my mouth. I find it worse than normal stuff. I also hate heavy cutlery. I have found kids forks so much easier to eat with. Not the ones designed for babies & toddlers (!) but just a bit smaller and lighter, I bought a set from IKEA that cost about £3.
I don’t tend to handwrite anything anymore. When I need to, my husband does the writing, even cheques etc. I just scrawl a signature that doesn’t look a bit like it used to. And as for signing for deliveries, I don’t even try any more! Just any old X!!
Sue
(by the way Ellie, I love the phrase outwith as in ‘think outwith the box’. It’s one of my favourites from North of the border.)
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Hi
I love mine, makes life easier. Here’s a link for you, hope it helps. There are lots of options on the website.
Janet x
When I had a temporary problem with my hands, I stuck to foods that I could just fork up easily or could eat with my hands. Like, spare ribs or chicken on the bone, chips, pizza. Even if you’re in a restaurant nobody objects to you eating them with your hands. Some pasta dishes are made to be eaten with just a fork etc. Stews can be eaten with a spoon.
Regarding the handles, my dad has the chunky handles as he has arthritis. You need to shop around as they don’t all have bigger ends on the utensils. He has normal sized knife, fork and spoon (including teaspoon) but just the handles are chunkier. You can also buy foam which you cut to size and put on your own cutlery so you adapt what you already have.
For writing, you can get triangle shaped finger guides which slip over the end of a pen/pencil to make them chunkier and help your grip. You can also get chunkier pens. Again, I have used these when my hands have been affected by relapses.
Just go and browse in your nearest Mobility shop or online. They have all sorts of useful gadgets. You’ll probably find lots of other useful things though so make sure you have a healthy bank balance before you go.
Tracey x
Hi Flowerpot
I use Betterlife for lots of things
You don’t pay VAT on anything either.
xx
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Hi everyone!! Had MS for many years, skipped to secondary two years ago, I can’t use heavy cutlery anymore either, I find that using a steak knife instead of an ordinary one helps a lot with cutting food, now I always ask for a steak knife if I’m out at a restaurant but if I actually have steak it’s a different story !! and I usually ask my partner to cut it up for me. Recently we were out and I chose spit roasted chicken, when it arrived I realised I couldn’t get it off the bone so asked the staff to take it back to the kitchen and do it for me, they were very obliging , so from now on I’ll ask if they will be ok doing that before I order!! I find that once it’s chopped it’s easier to just use the fork to eat. As far as chopping things like onions or veg at home, I’ve given up and use a mini blender and a mandolin, makes life much easier! But you MUST use the holder provided to prevent cutting yourself ( I learned the hard way lol !!) it also has rubber feet so it doesn’t move on the worktop. Originally bought a gadget from Able world which stuck to the worktop with suckers and had slicers and graters etc but it was useless, bit of a waste of sixty pounds, AND cupboard space lol !! My handwriting has also deteriorated so I avoid writing when possible , good job my signature has always been an illegible squiggle so nobody knows any different lol !! Oh the joys of this crappy disease eh ??? Xxx
I have problems using ordinary cutlery as well. I use these to give me better grip - http://www.completecareshop.co.uk/eating-aids/caring-cutlery-range/caring-cutlery-full-set
As for pens, I can’t write with a normal pen as I can’t hold one in a natural writing position. What I use are devices known as PenAgains which look strange but are very easy to use. They are available from Amazon - Amazon.co.uk : penagain ergosof
Neil
Thanks everyone, I’ll look at the cutlery and pens you mention.
I already do what many of you suggest - wooden handled steak knives at home, but I’m struggling with those now.
when out I opt for things I can eat with just a spoon or fork, but that too is getting trickier.
such a bummer!
Hi, like others have mentioned the Good Grips cutlery is good. - I have the forks as I can still hold a normal knife in my right hand (hubby has to cut some food up for me though). I think they cost about £10 each - quite costly but I’ve had one of mine for about two years and it still looks like new.
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