Speech Therapy and Maintanence

June 22, 2020

People with Parkinson’s can experience difficulties with speech or swallowing as the disease progresses. Just as PD affects movement, it affects the muscles in the face, mouth and throat used in speaking and swallowing (Parkinson’s Foundation).

Specialized therapy programs, such as LSVT LOUD® and SPEAK OUT®, target Parkinson’s speech and swallowing symptoms. Speech therapy can also help improve cognition and clarity in people with PD. While exercise classes are not yet meeting in person, therapy services are still being provided.

Congratulations to the Box Butte General Hospital  who won a grant from the Parkinson’s Voice Project to provide the SPEAK OUT® and The Loud Crowd® programs to the Alliance, NE area. 

The Rehab & Wellness Center Box Butte General Hospital
2101 Box Butte Ave
Alliance, NE 69301
308-761-3372
Francis Patrick Duldulao, MS, CCC-SLP
fduldulao@bbgh.org
Physical, Occupational, and Speech
Offers LSVT BIG®, SPEAK OUT®, and The LOUD Crowd®

Learn more about this resource and access a list of Parkinson’s therapy providers across Nebraska on the Resource Directory on our website. 

We often hear about the importance of exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease. I am sure you know about the benefits of staying active in managing the disease and delaying symptoms.  After physical and occupational therapy, it is important to regularly exercise to keep your muscles strong and not lose the progress made during therapy.

The same goes for speech therapy! The muscles that control your voice are affected by Parkinson’s just like all of you other muscles so we have to exercise them. Ongoing speech maintenance is a crucial – often underutilized – component to managing Parkinson’s disease. After graduating from speech therapy, it is importance to continue exercising the muscles to maintain speech volume, swallowing function, drooling and more. 

Programs like the LSVT LOUD for LIFE® and The LOUD Crowd® provide ongoing speech maintenance exercise classes for LSVT LOUD® and Speak Out® graduates. Many speech maintenance groups have not resumed, but luckily there are some really great online voice resources!

All the classes below are provided online and can be found on our Online Therapy web page: 

Online Voice Exercise Resources

Live IT Up!
Live IT Up! is a unique Parkinson’s class designed to combine exercise and speech exercises. 
       Tuesday and Friday | 12:00 pm
Classes available with a PDWELL Plus membership ($35/month)
Register here for a PDWELL Plus membership. 

Parkinson’s Voice Project Daily Voice Exercises
The Parkinson Voice Project is offering free speech exercise on Facebook Live to help keep your voice strong!
       Monday- Friday | 10:00 am
       Tuesday | 6:00 pm
No cost for classes 
Tune in live on the Parkinson’s Voice Project Facebook page

The Loud Crowd
LOUD Crowd is a weekly community voicing and cognition class open to anyone who has completed LSVT LOUD or Speak Out! 
       Thursday | 3:00 pm
This group is available with a free PDWELL membership. 
Register here for a free PDWELL membership.    

PDWELL Voicing Class
This class is designed to work on the muscles that control speech and swallowing.
       Wednesday | 10:45 am
Classes available with a PDWELL Plus membership ($35/month)
Register here for a PDWELL Plus membership. 

Talk to your speech therapy provider today about joining a speech maintenance group!

The Resource Directory and Online Resources are continuously growing. If you are a provider of PD-specific resources are would like to be added to the Resource Directory, please contact Amber at amber@parkinsonsnebraska.org to be added. 

Back