The Voice – Mary’s Blog
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)....
You Are What You Say: our language use tells on us
As Americans gear up for the final weeks leading up to the presidential election, an assortment of rants, insults, name calling and other forms of verbal abuse will likely continue to be a part of the political landscape, representing a change in cultural norms that...
Could You Speak Clearer in One Office Visit?
A new patient asked: "am I coming to see you to find out how bad my voice is?" "NO," I replied, "you're coming to find out how good it could be!" Research has shown us that vocal behavior is hierarchically organized and that different speech activities engage...
Do You Vote by Mail? Will Parkinson’s let your signature pass?
When seeing a patient for the first time, or for an annual re-assessment, they are required to sign a form, with four signature lines. If a patient has Parkinson’s disease, they will usually state that their handwriting is “horrible,” and rarely, if ever, do all four...
One Piece of Advice from People Living with Parkinson’s
Our weekly LOUD Crowd group of 14 people is as diverse a group of people you could have. Although all have a medical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease or a related diagnosis such as PSP, no two people look alike, sound alike, have the same motor or non-motor symptoms,...
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 