 |
 |
I do not take the comments of the speech therapist as thinking speech therapy in PD not being successful. Actually, it is correct.....with speech therapy (or physical therapy, or occupational therapy), it must be practiced every day. It's like brushing your teeth. Brushing helps prevent cavities, but the brushing has to occur on a regular basis, not just a couple of times per year. Even with the demonstation from the occupational therapist....those exercises should be practiced! Even if there is no perceived decline in function, chances are, if you have PD, there has been a decline in function. It is much easier and much more beneficial to incorporate exercises for all aspects of PD into a daily routine to prevent further decline than to try to build someone uback up after the decline has taken place. Remember, it's something that NEEDS to be done...just like brushing teeth! Bonnie Cunningham, R.N. Patient Services Director NPF --------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 16:50:54 -0500 From: Leo Fuhr <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Are Communication Losses Typical? Bonnie and others, When I attended a Parkinson's Rally in July 98 I was disappointed in the speech therapist who talked to the group. This particular therapist seemed to think that working with Parkinson's patients to improve speech was usually not very successful. The way I understood her reasoning, it was because without continued daily practice, most therapies would quickly show no improvement and then a person is back to the problem again. Is this interpretation correct? Do Parkies need to continually practice the speech or swallowing therapies daily to not see the problems recurring? Thanks for any input you may have on this angle about speech therapy. The occupational therapist was the more upbeat of the two.....showed demonstration by seating herself and the featured neuro on chairs atop the head table how to sit and rise easier from the type of chairs at the rally. Also mentioned home made remedies like taping foam rubber to pens, utensils to make for better grip or a button gripper from a paper clip. Jeanette Fuhr 47/9mo <[log in to unmask]> >