Designing for dignity: Co-creating mainstream adaptive eating utensils for people with Parkinson’s
Robert McCoid, Leila Aflatoony · Assistive Technology · 2025
To address the alimentary challenges faced by people with Parkinson's disease (PwP), this study explored their mealtime experiences and identified strategies for improving adaptive utensil design. Using a participatory approach, we conducted surveys, semi-structured interviews, and a co-design workshop to gather comprehensive insights into both functional and psychosocial barriers. Findings from the qualitative data informed the development of a design guideline, which subsequently shaped the structure and activities of the co-design workshop. During the workshop, PwP, clinicians, and designers collaboratively developed three adaptive eating utensils, which were refined through iterative prototyping and 3D printing, ultimately resulting in a set of mainstream adaptive utensils. This study emphasizes the importance of integrating mainstream aesthetics and user voice into the design of adaptive utensils through co-design and digital fabrication. By moving beyond device-centric approaches, this method supports ergonomic functionality while potentially addressing psychosocial barriers such as self-stigma. The resulting designs aim to promote eating autonomy, comfort, and social inclusion for PwP.