Our Stories

John's Story

Real life examples of how we help people

About John

John is 59 years old and had a stroke about 18 months ago. Although he had recovered well, he had some problems gripping cutlery and so was struggling to eat his meals without spilling the food. John lives with his wife and she was having to cut up his food and help him eat, which John found frustrating. He refused to have people over for meals, even his daughter and grandson.

Solution: A Free Safe+Well Local Demonstration

John and his wife attended a local demonstration and advice clinic which allowed John to see the variety of cutlery available and have a go at using some pieces. The Trusted Assessor from Safe+Well gave them some advice on daily living aids that would help John eat by himself again. For example, they suggested Dycem® non-slip mats, that help keep a plate in place when you're trying to cut food, and a plate guard that would reduce spillage and help John get food on to his spoon/fork. John tried out some lightweight cutlery with thick handles that he found easy to grip - the knife was especially easy to cut with. He decided to buy these daily living aids which were delivered to his home address within a couple of days.

How did Safe+Well help?

John can now eat his meal without his wife's assistance and he is happy to eat with his family and friends again. He says:

"I was surprised to see all the products that are available to help me... a lot of the cutlery looked like regular cutlery and it was good to be able to try the different types out at the demonstration clinic. It has definitely improved my ability to eat on my own and I feel able to eat in front of my family now".

Interested in visiting a local demonstration and advice clinic? click here