It is difficult watching a loved one struggle to feed themself.

Several years ago, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. At the age of 90, she was still mentally fit, yet it was painful watching her progressive physical decline. 

One of the most troubling and visible issues Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients suffer is the inability to feed themselves. Hand tremors, weakness and visual decline (resulting from Alzheimer’s) make it difficult to raise a utensil from a plated table to one’s mouth. 

We could not locate an eating aid designed to help. We prototyped a platform to raise the dinner plate several inches and reduce the distance from the plate to mouth. When using the prototype, my mother-in-law could feed herself much more easily by pivoting on her elbow from plate to mouth.  In addition to eating more consistently, she was less self- conscious about mealtime and happier in general.

We decided to develop Meal Lifter® eating aid to enable people in need to regain eating independence. The Meal Lifter® makes eating simpler by increasing visibility of the dinner plate and reducing the arm and hand movement required to feed oneself.

For those who struggle to feed themselves, we've witnessed both physical and emotional benefits using Meal Lifter®. The Meal Lifter® eating aid is now recognized by leading medical associations as an essential tool in mealtime accessibility for people with mobility challenges.  

Meal Lifter® is designed specifically to accommodate a 9” round dinner plate (with 6.5” bottom rim), which is the standard size dishware utilized in most senior living communities.

Meal Lifter® is fully patented - both Design and Utility patents.