Some people with MND experience difficulty with eating and drinking. The muscles affected vary from one person to another; a speech pathologist can offer individual assessment and advice. If there is difficulty in maintaining an adequate and nourishing diet the speech pathologist may work in co-operation with a dietician.

If it is difficult to raise the arms, providing support to the forearms or eating at a high table can make eating much easier.

Cutlery

• Choose lightweight cutlery.
• Obtain grips to enlarge the handles of your own cutlery.
• Attach cutlery to the hand with straps - they can be bought or made.
• A wide range of specially designed cutlery is available.

Plates

• Try a plate with a deep rim, or a plate guard that clips on an ordinary plate, to avoid pushing food off the plate.
• Use an insulated hollow plate that can be filled with hot water to keep food warm and palatable.
• Stop plates from slipping with Dycem, a non-slip plastic material available from Relpar Pty Ltd, Tel. (03) 9546 1511. A similar non-slip product is available for Spotlight.

Cups

• Use lightweight plastic cups - they may be easier to manage than conventional china.
• Use cups with two handles for stability if hands are weak.
• Use insulated cups to keep drinks warm for longer.
• Use straws if lifting a cup is a problem. Flexi-straws can be bent to the required angle. Straws with a non-return valve make sucking easier.
• The Rae Mullen cup - as shown in the 'Swallowing Difficulties' video or DVD is a lightweight cup, with part of the side cut out to accommodate the nose.

Cooking

Look in kitchen shops or department stores for labour-saving gadgets and electrical tools such as tin openers and mixers, but check on ease of operation.

Other helpful items include:

• Lightweight bowls and utensils.
• Jar openers, peelers, and graters.
• Clamps, or non-slip Dycem.
• Boards to help with buttering bread.
• Kettle tippers.
• Specially designed knobs for cookers.

Consider using a microwave oven positioned at a suitable height. Light-weight containers can be used, and the risk of accident when getting food in and out of the oven is greatly reduced.