A Parkinson’s diagnosis can trigger fear and uncertainty for those facing this lifechanging disease – but with the expertise and compassion of North’s LSVT-certified speech, occupational, and physical therapists, patients can be empowered to speak loudly and step confidently into the future.
LSVT program
The LSVT program has two branches of therapy, named LOUD and BIG for their speech and mobility protocols – and while each has its own distinct focus, both are tailored to the patient’s individual goals and meeting them where they’re at in their disease progression. Patients who commit to these therapies dedicate a significant amount of time to treatment, with each program requiring 16 total 60-minute sessions, held 4 consecutive days a week for 4 weeks in addition to exercises and homework to complete at home.
LSVT LOUD
- Led by certified speech language pathologists – North currently has 2 trained in LSVT LOUD.
- Focuses on increasing vocal loudness, articulation, and intelligibility among other communication goals.
LSVT BIG
- Led by certified physical and/or occupational therapists – North currently has 7 trained in LSVT BIG.
- Focuses on faster walking with bigger steps, improved balance, and reduced risk of falling in addition to other mobility goals.
Thanks to funding through the small grants program from the North Memorial Health Foundation, therapists became certified in LSVT LOUD or LSVT BIG through an online training, building on their previous expertise in their respective fields with evidence-based practices catered specifically to the needs of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
“The Foundation Board is excited to support the LSVT program through our small grants program,” says Kent Spaulding, Vice President & Chief Development Officer, North Memorial Health Foundation. “By giving back in this way, our donors are assisting our team members in accessing more tools to help patients reclaim their confidence and stability. Thanks to private support, more people will benefit from treatments like LSVT therapy that improve quality of life—not just for our patients, but for their families and communities as well.”
North therapists share their “why” on this program
Briar J Kleeman, MA, CCC-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist
“Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and it’s only becoming more prevalent. During one of my past jobs, I was asked to lead a support group for people with Parkinson’s and it was so eye-opening. I learned so much by listening to individuals with Parkinson’s talk about their experiences and I also heard their voices get softer and softer as their disease progressed. I chose to get LSVT LOUD certified because the voices of people with Parkinson’s matter and we need to make sure that we can hear them. We must learn from them so we can continue the fight against Parkinson’s.”
Dominik Wardzala, PT, DPT – Physical Therapist
“According to the American Parkinson Disease Association, there are approximately 1 million individuals living with Parkinson’s disease in the United States. These individuals commonly experience slowness of movement, increased stiffness, and tremors that influence their ability to participate in activities that they enjoy doing and ultimately limit their quality of life. Given the various number of neurologic diagnoses we see here at North Memorial Health, it was important to me to get certified in LSVT BIG to expand the services that we offer to patients with Parkinson’s disease. Having nine therapists certified in the LSVT program will allow us to serve this community with an evidenced based treatment program in the hopes of improving the patient’s quality of life.”
Improved quality of life for patients
After four weeks of intensive work, patients who previously feared falling while out on a walk or avoided speaking up during conversations have reported improved voice projection, mobility, and balance – giving them the confidence to live a full and high-quality life moving forward. They leave the program with exercises and education to support them into the future, armed with a greater knowledge of how they can work to maintain their independence and slow the impact of a progressive condition like Parkinson’s disease. Hear what one patient had to say after completing North’s LSVT BIG and LOUD programs:
“The BIG and LOUD Program has benefitted me in a few ways. I now have more balance, more independence with everyday activities and I talk louder than I previously did. I feel so much better than I did when I started. Life is better now! I enjoyed working with the teams of (speech and physical) therapists- they were willing to meet me where I was at when I started each portion of the program and kept the sessions light but also focused. It can be considered time-consuming as there is always homework to do but it is so worth it. You definitely get out of it what you are willing to put into it. I would definitely recommend this program and location. Thank you all for your help.” – North LSVT patient