Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that disrupts the brain’s ability to communicate with the body, leading to a loss of control over many physical functions. While most people associate Parkinson’s with tremors or changes in walking, the disease affects much more, including a person’s voice, digestion, and sleep.
Sadly, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, and it progressively worsens over time, often making it challenging for individuals to live independently. For those facing these difficulties, home care services can provide essential support, helping individuals manage daily tasks and maintain their quality of life.
Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms that May Affect Speech
One challenge often faced by Parkinson’s patients is the difficulty in communicating with those around them due to changes in their voice. The disease can affect nerves and muscle function in the voice box, throat, and respiratory muscles, making it hard to project sounds.
Additionally, weakened facial muscles may further impact their ability to enunciate. Home care services can provide valuable support by offering personalized therapies and assistance to help improve communication and overall quality of life.
Seven Common Speech Problems Connected to Parkinson’s Disease
Not everyone with Parkinson’s disease will face all of these challenges. Some may begin with one or two symptoms, but as the disease progresses, communication can become increasingly difficult. Verbalizing may eventually become nearly impossible, especially when trying to use a phone or speak loudly enough to be heard in a noisy environment.
This is where home care services can provide essential support, helping individuals manage these communication difficulties in a comfortable and familiar setting.
- One of the first areas to be affected is often volume control. Your loved one may not be able to speak louder than a whisper.
- He might develop a hoarseness to his voice, making him sound raspy as he talks.
- His voice may peter out. He might become breathy during a long conversation and find his voice gets quieter and quieter.
- He might also develop a very monotone voice, making the showing of emotions like excitement, anger, or frustration through his words more difficult.
- The tremor in his voice might start to make words sound jumbled or make certain sounds more difficult to produce.
- His voice may become very slurred as the muscles needed for talking are weakened.
- His facial expressions may not match what he is saying or what he is feeling as he says it.
Help with Speech Problems
While your loved one’s doctor will help him find solutions to his speech problems through speech therapy and assistive devices, you might find you need to take some steps at home to help him navigate his world more easily as well. For caregivers, patience and understanding are key in helping your loved one communicate without frustration as he tries to share something with you verbally. Make sure the room is quiet and allow him to take as much time as needed.
When your loved one needs to communicate with someone not closely connected to them, it can help for them to have assistance, such as a home care provider. A home care provider can help him answer the phone or respond to an unexpected visitor. Your loved one can let their home care provider do the talking for them so they don’t have to strain their voice.
This is just one way home care providers can help your loved one continue to live independently.
If you or someone you know needs Home Care in Granite Falls, MN, contact Adara Home Health. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve. Call us at (888) 525-7742 for more information.