Shake, Rattle and Roll

In Search of Improvement in Parkinson's Voice and Speech

Casa Futura Technologies, a Boulder, Colorado device manufacturer, recently introduced iParkinsons, an iOS app (a mobile operating system developed and distributed by Apple Inc.). This app may benefit speech and voice problems associated with Parkinson's Disease.

Several people and I had the opportunity to trial this new device. At the session, while patients did not perceive improvement in their own speech and voices, others attending noticed changes in some aspects including voice volume or clarity. It is important that the persons with Parkinson’s experience the improvements themselves, e.g., through immediately viewing a video of themselves speaking without the device and with the device. The observations of the spouses are not enough to motivate the patients unless they can see the changes for themselves.

While this device is likely to benefit some persons with Parkinson’s, feedback from patients and Speech-Language Pathologists is needed.

The information below is from Casa Futura Technologies’ website. The app provides the following four technologies that may assist those with Parkinson’s-related speech and voice problems:

1. Multitalker babble noise to induce the Lombard effect (the involuntary tendency of speakers to increase their vocal effort when speaking in loud noise to enhance the audibility of their voice) and increase vocal volume. It sounds like a party with people talking around you.

2. Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) to pace persons whose words "run together" (festinating speech). DAF is an electronic device in which the user hears his voice in his headphones delayed a fraction of a second. This helps persons with a festinating speech pattern to pace their speech.

3. Frequency-altered auditory feedback (FAF) in which the user hears his own voice in headphones altered in pitch or frequency. It changes the pitch of the user’s voice in his or her earphones. This increases speech motor activity and induces clear speech in some persons with Parkinson's. Some persons respond to an upward pitch shift while others respond to a downward pitch shift.

4. A visual display to help the user to calibrate his or her vocal volume The user tries to get into the red zone, indicating he is loud.

To learn more about iParkinsons check out the website at: http://casafuturatech.com/index.php/products/iparkinsons

To learn more about Casa Futura Technologies: http://casafuturatech.com

Casa Future Technologies is applying for a $250,000 grant to train speech-language pathologists to use the iParkinsons app. To be able to apply, they require 250 votes.

Your vote is important. Voting is easy:

1. Go to Chase Mission Small Business at http://www.missionsmallbusiness.com

2. Click "Log in & Support" and login to your Facebook account.

3. In the "business name" search field enter "Casa Futura".

4. You'll see "Casa Futura Technologies". Click the blue "VOTE" button on the right.

Scooters and Other Assorted Phobias

 
Last week, I panicked when I saw seven scooters lined up outside of a restaurant on the ship of a Caribbean cruise sponsored by the Parkinson Research Foundation.  I suddenly realized that the drivers of these scooters most likely had Parkinson’s Disease, some at advanced levels, and all had mobility issues and needed these devices to get around.

I had flashbacks about a night 15 years ago when my husband, Tom, and I unknowingly stumbled into a young onset Parkinson’s support group meeting. People arrived at this meeting on foot, while others arrived with walkers, canes, walking sticks, scooters, wheelchairs, and one was even wheeled in by stretcher. I wondered if this was what the people with young onset Parkinson’s looked like, what must those with late-onset look like? I wanted no part of any onset Parkinson’s and left the meeting during the break. Tom and I had nightmares for three consecutive nights. Thus the origin of my scooters and other assorted (walkers, canes, walking sticks, wheelchairs, stretchers) phobias.

Obviously it’s not the scooters that I’m afraid of! The real issue is what does using a scooter or other assistive device represent to me.

It represents my fear of living with Parkinson’s if I lose my mobility.

It represents my fear of losing my independence.

It represents my fear of dying with Parkinson’s.

What does fear look like?

What does fear feel like?

But how can I not be afraid?