SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac is now offering a new speech therapy program that helps individuals with Parkinson’s disease to maintain their voices and minimize swallowing concerns.

Angela Hall, a speech language pathologist, recently completed training to provide the Parkinson Voice Project’s SPEAK OUT!® and The LOUD® Crowd speech therapy program at SSM Health hospitals in Fond du Lac, Ripon, and Waupun.

Nine out of 10 people with Parkinson’s are at risk of developing a weak voice that can lead to serious speech and swallowing issues.

Good candidates for this program include those who can tolerate 40-minute therapy sessions, follow simple commands, respond to modeling and cueing, complete daily exercises individually or with a dependable person to assist, commit to the treatment schedule, and show improvement in two or more areas when using intent – breath support, volume, vocal quality, articulation, intonation of speech.

The SPEAK OUT!® program typically consists of 12 therapy sessions and daily home practice. During individual speech therapy sessions, the patient and the speech-language pathologist work their way through a series of speech, voice, and cognitive exercises outlined in a comprehensive workbook.

The program encourages patients to “speak with intent” in a confident and deliberate fashion. Intentional movements use the pyramidal system which is not affected by Parkinson’s disease. Speaking with intent bypasses the neuropathways impaired by Parkinson’s disease (extrapyramidal system) and results in a stronger, clearer voice.

The practice tasks can also strengthen the muscles used in swallowing, lessening the risk of aspiration which is common with Parkinson’s disease. Those interested in this therapy – which is typically covered by insurance – must first get a script from their health care provider for a speech evaluation. Interested individuals are encouraged to first check with their insurance company.

Participation in The LOUD Crowd®, along with daily home practice and six-month re-evaluations, has been shown to help patients maintain their communication skills throughout the progression of Parkinson’s.

For more information about SPEAK OUT!® and The LOUD Crowd® therapy services or to schedule a speech/voice evaluation, call the SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac Therapy Services at 920-926-5370.