Empowering Parkinson’s Patients with SPEAK OUT!® Therapy

SPEAK OUT!® is a powerful therapy approach designed for people with Parkinson’s to reclaim their voice and speak with intent.

Blossom’s speech therapists have completed the SPEAK OUT!® training course via Parkinson Voice Project. Patients will learn how to maintain their speech and communication, minimize swallowing complications, and cultivate confidence while communicating.

Parkinson’s and Speech Related Challenges

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, neurological disorder that affects movement causing a range of symptoms including tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia (slow movement). Speech difficulties often occur in individuals with Parkinson’s because the disease affects muscles involved in speech production.

Common speech related difficulties:

• Reduced vocal loudness

• Slurred or mumbled speech

• Hoarseness

• Imprecise articulation

• Monotone 

Further, did you know 90% of people with Parkinson’s are at risk of developing a weak voice that can lead to life-threatening swallowing complications? 

Speech challenges like those mentioned above can significantly impact a person’s ability to communicate effectively. This can lead to frustration, social isolation, and reduced quality of life. The Parkinson Voice Project developed SPEAK OUT!® as a way to combat frustration and social isolation and in turn, drastically improve patients’ quality of life.

The SPEAK OUT!® Approach

SPEAK OUT!® speech therapy is an intensive program that combines individual therapy sessions and group maintenance sessions. The main goal is to strengthen the muscles involved in speech production and retrain the brain in order to improve communication. Here’s how the program works: 

1. Individual Therapy: The beginning of therapy includes individual sessions with a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) who has completed the SPEAK OUT! training course. Goals of therapy include…

   • Teaching patient/families a series of exercises and techniques tailored to each patient’s individual needs

   • Educating families and patients on how to implement the most effective home practice regimen

   • Determining which group component will best support the patient. Patients typically reach their SPEAK OUT! therapy goals in 8 to 12 40-minute sessions. 

2. Group Maintenance: Once patients complete the individual therapy phase, they transition to group maintenance sessions called The LOUD Crowd. These sessions provide ongoing support and reinforce the skills learned during individual therapy. The LOUD Crowd also fosters a sense of community among participants, creating a supportive environment where individuals can share their experiences and continue to improve their speech. The group maintenance component is crucial to long-term success!

Benefits of SPEAK OUT!®

• Improved speech clarity

  • “My voice now rings”

• Increased confidence

  • “I now live my whole life with intent”

• Enhanced quality of life

  • “I love to sing and this program has allowed me to sing in church”

• Improved swallow safety