This week a patient with Parkinson’s disease told me that his insurance would not pay for a much needed medication. This is not the first time I have had a patient tell me that a necessary medication has become unaffordable. It just so happened that this week I...
Anywhere from 70-90% of persons with Parkinson’s have speech and voice problems, collectively referred to as hypokinetic dysarthria. Problems of reduced loudness, reduced effort, and inaccurate feedback are also related to a breakdown in the multisensory integration...
This post is published each year in February, as a memory of my dear friend, Kate Kelsall. A blogger, a wife, a dear friend, and my muse. She taught me so much about living with Parkinson’s as she lived each day with determination, purpose, and her dancing...
In my weekly speech class for persons with Parkinson’s (PWP), a member asked why some people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have difficulty speaking and yet, may be able to sing with relative clarity. I hypothesized that one reason is the difference in areas of the...
On the 1st day of treatment, a patient said to me I ‘m here for some speech therapy. On the 2nd day of treatment, a patient said to me, my wife can’t hear me, so I’m here for some speech therapy. On the 3rd day of treatment, a patient said to me, I have a problem, my...
Dyskinesia (uncontrolled involuntary movements that can look like fidgeting or swaying of arms, legs, oral-facial, or trunk muscles) are unfortunately a common experience for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Dyskinesia are associated with long term use of...
