Parkinson’s Speech

[Stoxy]

Hi Everyone. My husband has Parkinson’s and his speech has really deteriorated over the past few months which is very frustrating for both of us. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might help? We are based in the Uk. Thank you xx

[lenamm]

I just did LOUD speech therapy for PD. It was four days a week for four weeks with a therapist. It helped!

[laglag in reply to lenamm]

Just a reminder.,.....It does work but remember to keep with it. 🥊

[lenamm in reply to laglag]

Good reminder - I'm trying to do at least every other day

[MBAnderson]

I do speech therapy 1/week via telehealth (same a s Zoom) with the VA and it helps. It is just practice speaking louder - with intent.

[Stoxy]

Many thanks. 😁

[Bfp69]

When the pwp I care for has too much levadopa I can hardly understand him. Could your husband be overmedicated?

We try to do vocal exercises every day to help his speech and swallowing. This is simply saying “Aaaah” as long and loudly as possible for 15 minutes. Kind of boring and repetitive, but I try to focus on the point between the eyebrows to make it a meditation practice too. If that doesn’t work, singing along to an Oldie’s station is a fun option!

[laglag in reply to Bfp69]

I have a friend that reads a book out loud every day and it helps her.

[ion_ion]

HDT helped me to recover my voice.

[Stoxy]

Thank you all. I have also found an app called ‘loud and clear’ that I am going to look at downloading. X

[Cagey84]

I had good experience seeing a NHS speech and language therapist, the key thing is to practice what I was taught

[MarionP]

If the change seems fairly significant yet seems to be over a really brief time compared to the rest of the time over the course, whoever said it could be overmedication or maybe a need for a change or additional med is making a lot of sense, it's definitely worth checking out. So is seeking another opinion, no harm in that at all.

As far as the anxiety, a bit of counseling or therapy regarding getting to acceptance and reducing his focus to real time "now" rather than fretting about the overwhelming future is a good idea, needs someone to talk to alone, get things off his chest and let things go, like the old "alcoholic's prayer".....could also include a few guest visits to clinic/support groups dealing with ALS, advanced cancers, advanced Alzheimer's...

[Dap1948]

Set a metronome (phone app) going and read/say one word to each tick, exaggerating mouth movements. This and other suggestions are in my book “Music as medicine particularly in Parkinson’s” not expensive! On Amazon.

[Dobro52 in reply to Dap1948]

I can vouch for the book. Lots of effective, practical advice.

[Dap1948 in reply to Dobro52]

Thank you!

[philipstar]

Hi StoxRead your message and thought 'at last...someone with speech prfoblems!' I was diagnosed in 2013 and my speech has been getting progessively worse. I do the speech exercises recommended by my Speech therapist mainly based on loudness and pausing and breathing. But have found that Jim Donovan has some good stuff on strengthening the parasympathetic nervous system which I use daily, 10 minutes chanting whilst also tapping with my feet and hands is a great workout. My speech is worst later in the day when my tremor is running full blast. Loudness is not a problem but the shaking gets to my jaw which vibrates and makes my speech incoherent....is getting progressively worse and now means that by about 3 pm I can no longer communicate Am trying the Tremor Miracle pills which includes Chinese medicine ingredient...Xifeng Zhichan. Early days but seems to reduce my tremor.

Hope this helps!

[1rocketman]

My husband does his 30 minute exercises on YouTube with the Parkinson’s Voice Project (a woman named Frances Ellerbee conducts the classes). She has daily postings (though maybe not on the weekends), Unfortunately, it must be done consistently, so setting up a daily routine, or at least several times weekly, at minimum, is necessary. I can definitely tell when he is consistent with his exercises and when he’s not.

[LeharLover62]

My husband also has really struggled with his spech, including the very challenging problem that his first language is not English and we live in the US, and he can often only speak his first language now.

He has been helped enormously by a speech therapist over the last months who used the Power for Parkinson’s program and cognitive exercises.

As he is also dealing with Dementia, the neuro added Excelon patch and he went back on Neupro, both of which helped his speech a bit. And also, he restarted using his CPAP at night and I really think that has helped as well.

Good luck! It’s a challenge and so important,

[Horseriding4]

Hi. They say singing can help. We have a chap who comes monthly and my husband has fun singing great modern songs with him. Anita

[Physio70]

The most impactful of all of my treatments was an LSVT Loud course! It completely changed my life! My voice had deteriorated so badly I couldn’t speak on the phone, get a taxi etc. 6 week course several times a week. After the success with this I could see no reason why I couldn’t improve other brain activity. Slowly but surely my steps are longer, I lift my feet higher…. I guess it depends somewhat on the Speech therapist, but my family and I are massively grateful to the physio who recommended it. That was 2016. I couldn’t imagine any reason a Pwp wouldn’t try it.

[Stoxy]

Thank you all. It’s good to know that there are things that can help. Just a case of trying to get my husband to do them now!!!!