Designing for dignity: Co-creating mainstream adaptive eating utensils for people with Parkinson’s

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.