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About Us: Mealtime Partners, Inc. Providing a Bridge to Greater Independence |
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| The Mealtime Partners,
Inc. Vision: Everyone who wants to eat and/or drink independently but lacks the ability, will be provided the means to do so. |
The History behind the Mealtime Partner Assistive Dining Device (ADD)
Recognition of the need for an Assistive Dining System (ADD) began at The ARC of the United States in 1984. The Arc identified that many of the people for whom they advocate, not only had intellectual disabilities, but many also had severe physical disabilities which prohibited them from eating independently. To get a better understanding of how they could aid their advocacy group, in 1985 the Arc funded Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) to conduct a study to identify and evaluate existing feeding devices and eating aids. SWRI concluded that none of the existing devices could meet the needs, or be modified to meet the needs, of the identified population. (Their Final Report is dated January 9, 1987: “Feasibility Study for Assistive Feeder”, and is very detailed providing information about all the commercially available eating products that existed internationally. Additionally, it contained details about research that was being conducted into technology to assist in independent eating. As a result of this study, the Arc decided that there was a need for a better feeding device to be developed that enabled individuals who have profound disabilities to feed themselves.
Over the next few years, the Arc's Bioengineering Program undertook further research themselves based on the SWRI study. They first sought input from clinical experts to develop detailed requirements for such a device. Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Therapists, Dieticians, Care Providers (both family and paid) and potential users, were included in their studies. They next developed a feasibility-demonstrator assistive feeding device and tested it in several schools. The feasibility demonstrator was proven to be highly successful in feeding children with both intellectual and physical disabilities. One of Mealtime Partners founding members was part of the Arcs research team and was heavily involved with the development and test of the Arc’s Assistive Dining Device (ADD) feasibility demonstrator.
The Arc was so pleased with the design of the ADD they applied for, and received a patent covering the concepts employed in the design. Production was, however, not in the ARC’s charter and they sought a company to develop and sell a production Assistive Dining Device. After a few years passed without successful developmental activity, the Arc gave rights to the patent to Mealtime Partners who agreed to continue the research and development of the device. That’s why and when Mealtime Partners originated. Several National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded studies were conducted by Mealtime Partners that advanced the design of the Arc originated device and further emphasized the need for such a device. These studies, as did earlier studies, included input from Care Providers and potential users. The device was designed to be accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities including both physical and intellectual disabilities. No other feeding device designs have ever placed such emphasis on developing extensive and detailed requirements with input from both clinical experts and potential users.
About Mealtime Partners, Inc.
Mealtime Partners, Inc. was incorporated in 1999. The company was formed to continue the work started at The Arc and to continue the research that would lead to the highest quality design and development of a feeding device that would facilitate independent eating for individuals who are unable to feed themselves using utensils in the traditional manner, or to finger feed. Because all of our customers require a caregiver for much of their activity, especially at mealtimes, we see their mealtime caregiver as their mealtime partner, thus the company name, and later the primary product name, was derived.
By 2002, Mealtime Partners had developed its first powered dining device, a robotic feeder that had such sophisticated software that it was able to accommodate the needs of a very broad community of users. Clinical evaluation of the device was undertaken at a variety of research sites with participants ranging from children to elderly people. We called the device the Model 1 Assistive Dining Device, anticipating customer feedback would lead to more advanced models. (Also, we avoided calling it a “feeding” device, despite other devices being called feeders, as the term “feeders” typically refers to equipment for feeding animals.) That year the Model 1 was made available for purchase. The Model 1 ADD was an all-in-one product unlike the original feasibility demonstrator developed by the Arc that had electronics and power separated from the feeding device. It retained all of the functionality of the original Arc design.
In 2006, a new version of the Assistive Dining Device, “The Mealtime Partner Dining System” replaced the Model 1 ADD. It had all of the features of the previous version but was smaller and had added mounting features which enabled hands free access to the Mealtime Partner Dining System for an even broader range of users.
Hands Free Drinking Products
Working with the many Model 1 and Mealtime
Partner ADD users, the company became aware of the need for hands
free drinking systems because the vast majority of people who use
the Mealtime Partner Dining system are unable to pick up a cup or
bottle and take a drink independently. Because of their dependence
upon another person for a drink, they frequently do not get enough
to drink. Also, they often drink too quickly when they are offered a
drink, because they are thirsty and, in many cases, dehydrated.
Drinking very quickly leads to choking and sometimes aspiration.
Thus, our second line of products is related to drinking. (The cost
for hospital admissions due to dehydration in the United States
alone is estimated to be in the billions of dollars! More
information about the need for these products can be found in the
High Cost of Dehydration.)
For TECHNICAL SUPPORT
please give us a call.
We can help
you determine the optimal dining or drinking system to suit the needs of any specific user
Contact us at: Mealtime Partners, Inc. Located conveniently just
outside of Fort Worth, Texas at:
1137 S.E. Parkway
Azle, TX 76020
Telephone: 800-996-8607
In Texas: 817-237-9991
Fax: 817-237-0102