BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo South Campus is home to the state's only SPEAK OUT! Therapy and Research Center to help people with Parkinson's Disease.
UB's Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Clinic just received a grant worth $280,000 over five years to run the program. Laura Roberts runs SPEAK OUT! and Michael Morrison is a volunteer.
The center opened this year after UB applied for, and received, the five-year, $280,000 grant.
"It's been very helpful, and as a volunteer, I'm trying to get the word out to other Parkinson's people to help them participate in the SPEAK OUT! program," SPEAK OUT! volunteer Michael Morrison said.
To make it more accessible, you can even do it on Zoom. It's a four-week individual program, then you join a group and come back every three to six months for an individual reevaluation.
"They go through a series of vocal warm-ups to start with to really warm-up their voice. Part of the therapy program is to use intent. To be intentional with your speech and your voice," said Laura Roberts, a clinical assistant professor for the University at Buffalo's Department of Communicative Disorders & Sciences.
Roberts says 90-percent of people with Parkinson's will end up having difficulties with speech, voice, and swallowing. SPEAK OUT! helps people what that.
"We hear a lot of our patients say that now they're feeling more confident. They feel like they've regained some of those skills with their speech and their voice, that they're able to speak more with family and friends and in groups of people as well," Roberts said.
Morrison says this helps him connect with other people with Parkinson's.
"You have Parkinson's every day. It doesn't go away, and from an aspect of every day life, it maintains your, the strength of your vocal chords, it maintains the strength of your throat, which as we all know, these are muscles that tend to go away or lead to somewhat of a paralysis with Parkinson's," Morrison said.
There is no cost. The $280,000 grant is covering everything and anyone in the state with Parkinson's or a related movement disorder can sign up.
Roberts says there are people from New York City going to the group sessions on Zoom because there's nothing else like this in the state. Parkinson Voice Project, a group based in Texas, provides the grant.
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