Elevating Voices, Transforming Lives
At Adult Speech Therapy, we are proud to offer Parkinson’s speech therapy with our innovative program, Stronger Voices, Stronger Lives:A Parkinson’s Empowerment Program. This program goes beyond traditional approaches, offering a comprehensive solution designed to address the unique challenges faced by individuals with Parkinson’s.
Our program expands therapy beyond just speech and voice, incorporating a diverse range of evidence-based therapies to support communication, swallowing, respiratory function, and cognitive-communication (conversation) skills.
By integrating well established programs and cutting-edge technologies, Stronger Voices, Stronger Lives: empowers individuals to enhance their abilities, maintain progress, and seamlessly apply their skills in everyday life.
With a focus on accessible home practice, this program ensures participants stay motivated and engaged, making it easier to achieve meaningful, long-term results. Whether it’s improving clarity of speech, enhancing swallowing safety, or boosting overall communication confidence, our program is designed to help individuals with Parkinson’s live stronger, more connected lives.
Discover how Stronger Voices, Stronger Lives: can transform your journey with Parkinson’s. Join us at Adult Speech Therapy, where innovation meets care, and let us help you achieve your goals.
Parkinson’s Voice therapy
We offer two treatments which are evidence based therapies proven to improve volume and speech clarity
LSVT LOUD
LSVT LOUD trains people with PD to use their voice at a more normal loudness level while speaking at home, work, or in the community. Key to the treatment is helping people “recalibrate” their perceptions so they know how loud or soft they sound to other people and can feel comfortable using a stronger voice at a normal loudness level.
While LSVT LOUD treatment has helped people in all stages of PD, the majority of research has been on those in moderate stages of the disease. LSVT LOUD has also helped people with atypical Parkinson’s such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Beginning your work with LSVT LOUD before you’ve noticed significant problems with voice, speech and communication will often lead to the best results, but it’s never too late to start.
LSVT LOUD has the potential to produce significant improvements even for people facing considerable communication difficulties. See more information here.
SPEAK OUT!
The SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program, developed by Parkinson Voice Project, helps people with Parkinson’s and related disorders REGAIN and RETAIN their speech and volume. Speech and Voice Difficulties arising from Parkinson’s can be successfully treated. Make sure that you can be heard again and be understood with our research based treatment – SPEAK OUT! ®
This proven voice and speech treatment program has been specifically developed for others like you with Parkinson’s disease who want to be heard and improve the expression in their voice. To have a voice everyone wants to listen to!
We also have SPEAK OUT! groups for support and maintenance of your strong voice and clear speech! Treatment for Parkinson’s voice and speech is very effective. The SPEAK OUT! program has been described as a game changer!
You can do the program from anywhere in Australia online, on the Central Coast (NSW) or in Melbourne
Click here for information about the SPEAK OUT! Program. Watch an information video about Parkinson’s voice therapy here. See more information here.
Swallowing difficulties
We provide therapy using the latest technology to improve swallow function.
BiSSkApp -The Ultimate Solution for Remote Swallowing Rehabilitation.
A game-changing innovation that makes life easier for both clinicians and patients. By allowing at-home use, people with Parkinson’s having swallowing difficulties can access rehabilitation, no matter where they are. Using the evidence-based technique of biofeedback, patients can easily visualise their swallowing activity, and adjust it, empowering them to actively participate in their rehabilitation journey to enjoying eating and drinking again.
This innovative technology includes a wireless sensor, mobile application and a web application with easy setup. See more information here.
Breath support and Cough strength, better airway protection
Improved breath support and cough strength = better airway protection
Parkinson’s disease often affects swallowing function, the ability to control saliva and cough strength.
Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) with the The EMST150 has been proven effective in improving swallowing and cough functions of Parkinson’s patients, as well as reducing choking and aspiration risks. Contact to find out if this therapy could benefit you.
With just 5 weeks practise using this device, you can slow the progression of your symptoms and enhance your quality of life.
Additionally, EMST training has been shown to strengthen weakened respiratory capabilities to improve breathing needed for speech. See more information here.
Communication Difficulties – Better Conversations with Parkinson’s Program
How does Parkinson’s affect communication?
Parkinson’s can affect many aspects of communication. For example, someone may experience:
- A quieter voice that others find difficult to hear
- Changes to the speed and fluency of talking
- Difficulty finding words
- Reduced facial expression and body movements / gesture
- Difficulty keeping track of the conversation
- Difficulty being able to include all the key points they want to
- Difficulty having an active role in conversation, in particular in groups
- Reduced confidence around taking part in conversations
- Reduced confidence around socialising and meeting with friends
People living with Parkinson’s may find that some difficulties are more evident at different times (e.g. at certain times of day or in different contexts such as in groups/ on the phone). Their communication can vary, and be difficult and require greater effort to control or change. Having a conversation can feel exhausting.
If not well supported, there is a risk that communication difficulties can affect people’s wellbeing and confidence. Some people living with Parkinson’s describe feeling embarrassed, self-conscious and reluctant to join in as a result of communication difficulties. They may avoid certain situations (such as large gatherings).
Both the person who has a diagnosis of Parkinson’s and the other people in the conversation can make changes to improve conversations. A friend or family member who regularly talks with the person with Parkinson’s can really help, and needs to understand what works for the individual.
The Better Conversations with Parkinson’s programme is designed to support both people in a conversation to build on skills and make changes to improve wellbeing and success in conversation. Both the person with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s and their family member or friend will have improved skills and understanding of what works well and less well in conversations. Sharing this knowledge with other, friends and family can help people living with Parkinson’s to feel more confident in situations that previously might have felt challenging (for example chatting with a group of friends or with people you know less well).
Taking part in this therapy will help you build your understanding of conversation, and equip you with skills to manage communication difficulties associated with Parkinson’s now and in the future.
