Following a diagnosis of Parkinson’s or other neurological disorder, your doctor may recommend you undergo speech, physical or occupational therapy. Your response to that suggestion may be:

Enthusiastic: “where do I sign up?

Skeptical but willing: “my wife/husband wants me to be here”

Disinterested: “I don’t think my speech is that bad”

Who do you think is likely to gain the most benefit from a speech therapy treatment program? If you guessed the enthusiastic person, you are right.
When entering into a therapy program, one of the most important predictors of your success will be your goals. I often tell patients, that it really doesn’t matter too much what I think, or what your spouse or children think about the benefits of therapy. Your goals, and what you desire from therapy, however, is exceedingly important.

Why Goals?

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” – Ralph Waldo Emerson”

If your reason for enrolling in a speech therapy program is to improve or eliminate some aspect of your speech or voice behavior ,than the first task will be to identify that behavior. For example, if you say: “I want to talk better”. I will likely ask: “what does that mean?” If you further clarify your goal/s, by saying: “I want to speak louder. I don’t want to have to repeat all the time. I don’t want my voice to sound hoarse, or weak or sick,” than we can begin to evaluate if you are physiologically capable of achieving those goals, and discuss what kind of treatment program will get you there. Once we determine that the goals you have set are achievable, we also need to discuss how you will retain the improvements you make in therapy, especially, when a disease, such as Parkinson’s, is lurking in the background, changing the way your body performs. Therapy is not magic, it’s hard work on your part, and requires a commitment to continue a home program once your short term goals are achieved.

In the next article, we will explore further the Power of Goal Setting, the role of your beliefs , and how to develop a Plan of Action.

Voice Aerobics™ DVD is a home exercise program designed for individuals not yet sure if they are ready for formal therapy, and for those who have completed formal Speech , Physical Therapy, and/or Occupational Therapy, but who want to continue to practice on their own at home.

These monthly articles are intended to: educate, enlist your participation in your own care, and empower you to advocate for your self or others .
(Re-printable with permission from the author: Mary Spremulli,MA,CCC-SLP. Send correspondence to: info@voiceaerobicsdvd.com)

About the author: Mary Spremulli,MA,CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist and licensed nurse. A national lecturer, with publications on the topic of Patient Education and Ethics, and with a special interest in physician-patient communication.