Therapy for Neurological and Movement Disorders
Most people take everyday activities like talking on the phone or walking up the stairs for granted. When you have Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders, those simple tasks can be a challenge.
Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease every year. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors, changes in gait and balance, flexed posture, decreased volume of voice, and impaired fine motor skills.
The specialty-trained speech language pathologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists at St. Elizabeth Healthcare work with patients to improve strength, balance, movement, voice control, and swallowing techniques. Therapy can start at any time after diagnosis, but research shows the earlier you begin therapy, the more likely you are to maintain your quality of life.
If you or someone you know is interested in this program, please contact St. Elizabeth Central Scheduling at (877) 424-5750.
Improving Movement and Strength in People with Parkinson’s
The physical and occupational therapists at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, who specialize in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease have specialized training in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) BIG therapy.
During LSVT BIG therapy, our certified therapists challenge your movement and perceptions and help retrain your brain to think “BIG” by making exaggerated motions when walking or performing activities such as reaching for a glass of water.
LSVT BIG can improve function with:
- Improved balance
- Improved mobility, including stair climbing
- Increased trunk rotation
- Faster walking with bigger step
The intense program includes exercises you perform twice a day independently and one on one sessions with our therapist four days a week for four consecutive weeks. Exercises should then be continued independently at home to maintain mobility.
Improving Voice and Speech in Parkinson’s Patients
Parkinson’s disease can also cause difficulty chewing, eating, speaking, or swallowing. Just as movement issues occur in other parts of the body, the face, mouth, and throat muscles can also be affected.
The speech language pathologists at St. Elizabeth who treat Parkinson’s disease have specialized training in SPEAK OUT, a speech therapy program developed by the Parkinson Voice Project.
SPEAK OUT uses one-on-one treatment with a speech language pathologist to help you speak louder and more clearly in interactions with family, at work, or social settings. The intense program includes exercises you perform twice a day independently and structured classes three days a week with our therapists. Most patients need 12 therapy sessions and then continue exercises independently.
Through therapy you can improve:
- Vocal loudness
- Swallowing
- Facial expressions
For more information about the SPEAK OUT program, please call (859) 572-3120.
Move Bigger and Faster Everyday
Our Parkinson-specific exercise program is designed to teach patients how to move better each day by challenging them physically and cognitively. Let our certified PWR! Moves therapist teach you in a fun interactive environment on how to counteract your symptoms with exercise.
To learn more about our PWR! Moves class or to reserve your spot, call (859) 212-4200.
Our Parkinson-specific speech therapy program is designed to teach patients how to speak with INTENT each day. Let our certified SPEAK OUT speech therapists teach you in a fun interactive environment on how to counteract your symptoms with this Parkinson’s Voice Project program.
To learn more about SPEAK OUT or to reserve your spot, call
(859) 572-3120.