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First of all, I would like to thank all the contributors who provide information related to PD. This has been most helpful to me, as I am trying to assist my brother (Age 66, 10 years since onset of PD) in keeping up to date with the latest info on treatments, etc. I might add that I and his wife have become somewhat convinced that he may have contracted PD through exposure to Dieldrin when he was spraying for grasshoppers on his farm as long ago as the 60s, due to an article which was mentioned on this forum. But of course there is no way to prove this now. My brother has been gradually losing his voice. Because it is so difficult to understand him, his social life has become almost nil. Then I became quite excited one day when I was able to understand him very clearly over the phone. I thought perhaps this was an answer to the problem. When I visited him in August, I borrowed a directional microphone, amplifier and speaker from a place that rents such stuff for public performances, and tried it out with my brother. Unfortunately, I found that we could now hear his voice, but he was slurring many of his words so the answer was not totally in voice amplification. When I returned home, I consulted with several speech pathologists, who very kindly supplied me with booklets and other information on PD, related to explaining and finding a remedy for this problem. In fact, one of them very kindly found a speech pathologist near his home town who specialized in PD voice problems. I have also was given some information on suitable voice enhancement equipment, which follows: Luminaud in Mentor Ohio has a unit called a Voicette which is entirely portable and has a rechargeable battery. Combined with a headset which can be worn on the head, to hold the microphone in front of the mouth, the cost (Canadian dollars) is $350. These prices may be out of date, but they shouldn't be much higher. Luminaud's phone number is 216-255-9082. The Canadian supplier is A.S. Telecom Inc., in St. Laurent, Quebec. Their phone number is 514-332-2000. It is likely that, if obtained through a speech pathologist, at least some of the equipment cost would be covered under the corresponding provincial health plan in Canada. This might also be possible in the U.S. I hope this is of help to someone. NPA ---------------------------------------------------------- Norm Archer Phone 905-525-9140 Ext. 23944 Management Science & FAX 905-521-8995 Information Systems Email [log in to unmask] McMaster University School of Business Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M4 Canada