The Voice – Mary’s Blog
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...
How Common is Drooling in Parkinson’s?
Some individuals newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, are surprised to learn that constipation, is a common, prodromal symptom (a symptom that precedes a diagnosis) of Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. This early presentation of dysautonomia (disorders of the...
Are You Eligible for Medicare? Include Uncertainty in Your Choice
Robert (not his real name) is a 66- year old patient who was an active, athletic businessman who suffered a stroke in September of 2020 leaving him with a severe aphasia (aphasia is a problem understanding or using language). A blood clot was removed from his brain by...
Speech Treatment and Parkinson’s: Do We Underestimate Cognitive Effort?
Hypophonia (low volume) is a common voice symptom associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and in fact, is now thought to be a prodromal symptom, that is, present even before the motor symptoms which lead to a diagnosis, so referral to speech therapy soon after...
Teletherapy: all the benefits of speech therapy without leaving home
Have you taken advantage of telepractice/teletherapy since the stay at home orders began back in March of 2020? Although in-person interaction is typically the primary form of contact between most patients and speech-language pathologists; due to the COVID-19...
Practice Makes Perfect but Does it Apply to Speech?
Definition of Practice: to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient practice the act; to do repeated exercises for proficiency (source: Merriam Webster) We have all experienced times in our life when we practiced performing or perfecting a skill. We...
Aphasia Recovery: how much therapy is enough?
It was long taught that when someone acquired aphasia* following a stroke or other injury to the brain, the most dramatic recovery in speech and language would occur within the first 6 months, and after that period of time further recovery would be unlikely. But,...
Ready to Improve Your Speech? Join me for October FREE webinars
I am excited and privileged to be participating in two free webinars being offered to the Parkinson’s community this October. PCLA (Parkinson's Community Los Angeles) will be hosting me for a webinar on Thursday, October 15, 2020 11:00-12:00pm PDT (2:00-3:00 ET)....
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 