Eating and drinking

Mealtimes are a time for nourishment and enjoyment.

Within this section, you'll find information on a variety of eating and drinking solutions, equipment, and aids, all aimed at helping you enjoy your mealtimes and allowing you to live life to the fullest.

Taking care when eating and drinking: Explore tips on maintaining a safe swallowing posture and techniques for minimising spills.
Eating equipment: Discover a range of assistive cutlery, like weighted utensils and plates with raised edges, that can make eating easier and more manageable.
Drinking equipment: Learn about specialised cups and mugs with features like easy-grip handles and lids with spouts to prevent spills.
Daily living aids: Reduced mobility, dexterity, vision, or hearing can make tasks like dressing, bathing, cooking, and managing medications complicated. This can lead to reliance on others, frustration, and even safety hazards.
Reminders and guidance to help you complete daily tasks: Staying independent and managing daily tasks can become more challenging as we age. For older adults, forgetting appointments, struggling to remember medication routines, or feeling overwhelmed by daily chores can be common concerns.
Technology to help with household tasks: Living independently can be incredibly rewarding, but everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, and laundry can become challenging as we age. Fortunately, technological advancements offer a variety of tools and solutions that can make these tasks easier and more manageable.

Where to buy equipment to help keep your home safe

Plymouth City Council, NHS Devon, and Livewell Southwest have jointly commissioned NRS Healthcare to deliver the Safe+Well service, and they have over 2,500 daily living aids that you can purchase by mail order, telephone, or online.

View the Plymouth Safe+Well website

NRS has a dedicated phone line with a trained team of specialists who can answer any questions you might have. Just call 0345 6461860.

Other places to buy equipment from:

How to get adult social care support

Depending on your circumstances and how your needs are assessed, you might be eligible for support from the council.

The easiest way to check what help you might be entitled to is to complete our online self-assessment. It only takes a few minutes, and at the end of the form, you have the option of making a referral and requesting a formal assessment.

Eating equipment

Mealtimes are a cornerstone of social interaction and nourishment. However, for older adults living independently, challenges like a weakened grip, limited dexterity, or difficulty swallowing can make eating a frustrating and potentially unsafe experience.

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Drinking equipment

Staying hydrated is essential for everyone, but it can become especially challenging for older adults living independently. Age-related issues like reduced mobility, weakened hand strength, or even forgetfulness can make drinking a simple task feel overwhelming.

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Taking care when eating and drinking

Enjoying a nutritious meal and staying adequately hydrated are essential aspects of maintaining good health at any age. However, for older adults living independently, these seemingly simple tasks can become challenging due to age-related changes in vision, dexterity, or swallowing.

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Daily living aids

Maintaining independence in your home often involves finding solutions to everyday challenges that arise with age. Reduced mobility, dexterity, vision, or hearing can make tasks like dressing, bathing, cooking, and managing medications complicated. This can lead to reliance on others, frustration, and even safety hazards.

View page (Go to Daily living aids)

Reminders and guidance to help you complete daily tasks

Staying independent and managing daily tasks can become more challenging as we age. For older adults, forgetting appointments, struggling to remember medication routines, or feeling overwhelmed by daily chores can be common concerns.

View page (Go to Reminders and guidance to help you complete daily tasks)

Technology to help with household tasks

Living independently can be incredibly rewarding, but everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, and laundry can become challenging as we age. Fortunately, technological advancements offer a variety of tools and solutions that can make these tasks easier and more manageable.

View page (Go to Technology to help with household tasks)