CHHS News

The WKU Voice Care Program in the Communication Disorders Clinic is pleased to announce the SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program for Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders is available in person or by telepractice for anyone in the state of Kentucky. The WKU Voice Care Program is committed to serving the Parkinson’s community by offering the SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program free of charge courtesy of a generous grant from the Parkinson Voice Project. 

The SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program, developed by Parkinson Voice Project^®, is an evidence-based program that helps individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders regain and retain their speech and swallowing. This comprehensive program combines individual speech therapy with education and ongoing group support.

“Up to 90% of people with Parkinson’s are at risk of losing their ability to speak. In addition, swallowing complications account for 70% of the mortality rate in this patient population. Our vision at Parkinson Voice Project is to make quality speech therapy accessible to people with Parkinson’s worldwide,” said Samantha Elandary, Parkinson Voice Project’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. 

Dr. Amy Engelhoven, WKU assistant professor, said, “The SPEAK OUT!® Therapy Program, developed by Parkinson Voice Project®, helps people with Parkinson’s and related disorders REGAIN and RETAIN their speech and swallowing. This highly effective, evidence-based treatment combines education, individual and group speech therapy, daily home practice, and continuous follow-ups. Patients are empowered to “speak with INTENT,” transitioning speech from an automatic function to an intentional act.”

A recent client of the WKU Voice Care Program shared, “One thing that people with Parkinson’s soon come to realize is that there are many ways in which the disease may manifest, and while some people may have the same symptoms as you, others may not, and you may be surprised what these other symptoms are. At some point, I became aware of a Parkinson’s patient whose voice had become so soft that people had trouble understanding him when he talked, and I added this to my list of surprising Parkinson’s symptoms. Fortunately, this person had discovered the Speak Out program at WKU, and I was glad to learn that he found it very helpful. Which brings me to another thing that people with Parkinson’s come to realize: your symptoms change as the disease progresses. At some point, I found that my voice had become so soft that people couldn’t understand me.  I signed up for the Speak Out Program as soon as I could and began working my way through the voice exercises, meeting weekly with a Program voice coach to make sure I was progressing correctly. By the end of the weekly sessions, my voice was much stronger. I, like everyone I talked with, found the program to be remarkably effective. An especially attractive feature of the Speak Out program is the effort it makes to stay in contact with the local Parkinson’s community. Every week, an instructor from the program attends one of our regular Rock Steady Boxing sessions to lead us in voice exercises. This benefits everyone, both those who have been in the Speak Out program and those who have not.  And these sessions are also a lot of fun.”

Engelhoven shared, “The SPEAK OUT!® Therapy Program offers a cycled approach, meaning that once patients are evaluated, we provide them with a booklet and home program for practice at home and in the community. We also provide a very informative video on Parkinson's disease and its effects on communication. Patients participate in individual therapy 2-3 times a week for approximately 4 weeks as well as a SPEAK OUT! Therapy group. We encourage refresher sessions every 3-6 months to keep the cycle going so that we are with patients throughout the progression of the disease. At the WKU Voice Care Program, we offer individual and group therapy at no cost to anyone in the state of Kentucky, and services are available either in person or by telepractice.”  

About Parkinson Voice Project 

Parkinson Voice Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization solely dedicated to helping people with Parkinson’s regain and retain their speech and swallowing. The organization provides SPEAK OUT! Workbooks, online SPEAK OUT! Home Practice Sessions, and a weekly Parkinson’s Sing-Along to complement the speech therapy they will receive at WKU Voice Care Program. The organization is headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and has trained over 10,000 clinicians in more than 40 countries. For information, visit www.ParkinsonVoiceProject.org. 

Contact Dr. Amy Engelhoven to schedule a screening: 270-883-2736.