Digital vocal practice aids Parkinson's patients in voice control improvement
Every Thursday, individuals battling Parkinson's disease and their caregivers engage in a unique online singing program headquartered in Coffs Harbour.
Guided by Music Therapist Bonnie Nilsson, the Online Parkinson's Voice Program is funded by the Coffs Harbour Rotary Daybreak and commands a partnership between Parkinson's NSW, the Younger Person's Parkinson's Support Group, University of Newcastle, and the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD). This initiative primarily seeks to boost the well-being of participants struggling with the disease.
Communication problems are one of the most prevalent symptoms associated with Parkinson's, noticeably degrading the patient's quality of life.
Chanting exhibits several neural networks and structural elements utilized during speech, making it a promising candidate for therapeutic applications to address speech impairments.
Parkinson's Clinical Nurse Consultant Vince Carroll stated that up to 90% of individuals suffering from Parkinson's experience speech and communication issues, yet few explore assistance.
"Our local Parkinson's Support Group program aims to improve health indicators such as vocal strength, speech clarity, and respiratory output," Carroll said. "With COVID-19, we needed alternative means to deliver the program. By transitioning online, we can maintain similar outcomes while fostering social connections, boosting conversation, and sharing emotions – all leading to empathy, harmony, and camaraderie."
The virtual sessions encompass an hour of high-intensity, music-infused vocal exercises, a sing-along to everybody's favorite tunes, opportunities to perform solo, and time set aside for social interaction and conversation practice.
For more details, reach out to Vince Carroll, Parkinson's Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Mid North Coast Local Health District at 6659 2300.
These programs tend to focus on sound quality improvement and communication enhancement for Parkinson's patients. They generally employ speech therapy techniques and technology to boost voice clarity, diminish soft speech, and amplify overall communication skills. Benefits of these programs may include better communication, social connections, enhanced quality of life, and the use of digital tools to facilitate accessible and interactive voice training exercises. Contacting the program organizers or checking local resources can provide further information about the Coffs Harbour Rotary Daybreak program.
- The Online Parkinson's Voice Program, focused on health and wellness, aims to improve chronic diseases like Parkinson's by enhancing participants' vocal strength, speech clarity, and respiratory output through various therapies and treatments in the field of music therapy.
- Inspired by the potential of music to stimulate speech impairments, this health-and-wellness initiative partners with organizations like Parkinson's NSW, University of Newcastle, and Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) to offer a unique fitness-and-exercise program combining singing with mental-health benefits.
- Nutrition plays a role in supporting overall health, and individuals living with chronic diseases like Parkinson's can benefit from looking into various therapies and treatments that may help manage their disease, such as the Online Parkinson's Voice Program.
- By making fitness-and-exercise programs more accessible online, people battling Parkinson's can continue their speech therapy regimen amidst mental-health challenges like isolation caused by chronic diseases like COVID-19, fostering a sense of belonging and empathy in the community through social connection and emotional sharing.
