Cutlery for Arthritis

Hi there,
I am a design student currently trying to design eating utensils for
those with arthritis.
For those who do have arthritis (mainly in their hands), I was hoping
to find out what problems you currently have using or handling your
cutlery? And which part of the utensil bothers you the most?
If you do have some trouble, do you attach anything to the handle for a
better grip?
There have been a lot of eating utensils for arthritis designed
already, some of them with the fork or spoon section bent for more ease
of use. i'm wondering if there are a lot of people that use these types
of utensils, and if so if the section that is bent is especially
useful?

I appreciate any responses you give me.

Thanks very much!

Hi Designer,
Firstly, I would like to thankyou for thinking about those who have
problems, I hope you can design something useful. My problem comes
when I am dining out. I hate to look clumsy, or to have poor manners
but holding a knife and fork is tiring. I hold the utensils OK but
then I can't let go, my hands freeze into the set position. What I
would like is something that would slide over the handles to make them
thicker, but at the same time not look too out of place. I have to use
an electric toothbrush because it is thicker and is about the right
thickness. I almost forgot, you will have to design for different
cultural ways of holding a fork. I am an Aussi, so my fork is
up-side-down and in the left hand, and the pointer finger and placed
straight out.
Hope your designing goes well,
Gail