The Voice – Mary’s Blog
YOU Have Parkinson’s…why should WE care?
April is Parkinson’s disease (PD) Awareness month, and throughout the country, local and national organizations will sponsor events. Money raised will go towards research, support groups, and community-based education and exercise programs. As many as 1 million...
Do Parkinson’s Medications Really Help?
Medications such as Carbidopa are the mainstay in the treatment of motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and most people living with Parkinson’s know the importance of optimal medical management. In addition to medication, therapy, adaptive and assistive devices, and...
“He Mumbles-She can’t hear” Communication Partner Training and Parkinson’s disease
In 1997, when I first began to offer the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®) for persons with Parkinson’s (PWP), it was one of the few times when I would ask a spouse or other family member to NOT join us in therapy. The rationale for my decision and what I said to...
The mouth-gut relationship and the development of disease
At a recent Journal club, hosted by a local Neurologist, we were joined by a dentist who reviewed some research findings suggesting that Periodontal disease was modestly associated with incident MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and dementia in a community-based cohort...
Can Community-Based Programs Reduce Cost of Care for People with Parkinson’s?
By working in collaboration with Community-based Parkinson’s programs, therapists can provide weekly classes that may help people with Parkinson’s (PWP) maintain improvements attained in one:one therapy, provide ongoing disease education, and perhaps, ultimately...
Drooling’s Association with Quality of Life in Parkinson’s
Although medication advancements and surgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) have provided significant improvement in managing the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, the non-motor symptoms, which can include drooling, dysphagia, sleep disorders...
Parkinson’s Voice Too Low? Hi-VOLT® Helps Rev Up Your Voice Engine
The most prominent gauge in your car, and perhaps the most important, at least in terms of how many times you look at it while you're driving, is the speedometer. The job of the speedometer is to indicate the speed of your car in miles per hour, kilometers per hour or...
Join the Resistance Movement and Strengthen Your Breathing Muscles
“I use the Breather to train and strengthen my diaphragm” Roger (Breather®FIT with Manometer) Roger is retired from broadcasting, and he doesn’t want Parkinson’s to rob him of his voice. Resistance Training for the Breathing Muscles Skeletal muscles are reactors and...
Respiratory Muscle Training for Core Strength and Balance
Research has unveiled some important associations between bad posture and health issues. Age related degenerative changes in the spine can contribute to a stooped posture, and a tendency to bend or flex forward is also the most common change in posture seen with...
12 Days of Speech Therapy: A Christmas Carol
A challenge for many people with motor speech symptoms from Parkinson's disease is that they may not recognize and acknolwedge that their speech has actually changed. Because the common symptoms of low volume and reduced clarity have come about gradually, speech...
Mary Spremulli of Voice Aerobics writes a monthly news article in the “Healthy Body” section of Florida Weekly
- July 2018, Healthy Hearing and Speech, cover story – Healthy Body, “Florida Weekly’s monthly guide for healthy people inside and out”
- July 2018 article – Augmented feedback and skill learning help patients recalibrate
Home Programs & Training:
- Voice Aerobics® – 3-Part Workout
- SpeechVive Device for Persons with Parkinson’s
- Lingraphica® Aphasia Communication Device
- Constant Therapy App for aphasia
- Computerized Home Aphasia Therapy Program (CHAT®)
- Passy-Muir® Tracheostomy and Ventilator Swallowing and Speaking Valve
SpeechVive Device for Persons with Parkinson’s
Ask me about your VA benefit for this device!
SPEAK OUT!® Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s patients
Mary Spremulli is Certified in:
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Treatment (LMRVT) Neurodevelopmental Treatment
A Certified Member of 