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Category: Bathrooms

Assistive Dining Device (Arm Sling)

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--- "DO IT YOURSELF" ENTRY ------- PURPOSE: This is an instruction on how to make an assistive dining device for people with limited or no arm strength (such as Muscular Dystrophy or ALS) but still have hand movement. The assistive device (Schleeder) is designed to work with spoon and bowl. The instruction is created for occupational Therapist or those whose loved one may be benefited from this device.

MATERIALS USED:
1) Seat Belt Webbing - 1 to 2 Meters, from Mountain Equipment Coop (www.mec.ca).
2) Velcro Tape - from Fabricland (www.fabricland.ca/).
3) Fabric for tabs - I picked polyester for ease of cleaning.
4) Heavy Weight Thread - to sew Velcro and tabs to the webbing.

PREPPARATION:
MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE
STEP 1: To determine how much seat belt webbing you need:
1) Have the user sitting at the dining chair.
2) Measure from the corner of the chair* (see photo), over the user’s shoulder, to the wrist at table height PLUS the circumference of the wrist (See photo, shown user with wrist brace).
3) Add 10-20 cm to the measurement,
4) Cut webbing to length.
*Not compatible with chairs with solid backs.
STEP 2: ADDING VELCRO
1) Mark one end of webbing for wrist, and the other end for chair.
2) Cut Velcro and tape them on webbing (see photo).
3) Make sure the “male” & “female” Velcro are on the same side of the webbing.
4) Also make sure that they can make contact while allowing the webbing to loop the wrist and chair.
TIP: Cut longer Velcro strips so that the sling can be adjustable.
STEP 3: ADD TABS
The designer selected red tabs to help indicate the edges of the slings. Feel free to use other colors and materials for yours.
STEP 3: ADD STITCHINGS
Add stitching to the Velcro Strips to keep them from peeling off the seatbelt webbing.
STEP 4: HOW TO USE
1) Have the user sit at the dining chair at the table.
2) Wrap the "arm" end of the sling around the user's hand/wrist-brace.
3) Cross the sling over the user's shoulder.
4) Wrap the "chair" end of the sling around the top corner of the chair (see illustration).
5) Adjust the Velcro so that the user's arm is slightly higher than the soup bow.

Author: by desdesmond on instructables.com

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as of: 
09/29/2014
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Assistive Dining Device (Arm Sling)