Training family members to better understand Parkinson's speech

This trial is testing a new approach to help people with Parkinson's disease who have difficulty being understood when they speak. Instead of asking the person with Parkinson's to do all the work to change their speech, this study trains their family members and close communication partners to become better listeners. Research shows that with proper training, listeners can understand dysarthric speech — slurred or unclear speech caused by Parkinson's — up to 20 percent better.

Many people with Parkinson's develop speech problems that make them hard to understand, which can lead to social isolation and withdrawal from activities they enjoy. Current speech therapy approaches require a lot of effort from the person with Parkinson's themselves, and don't work well as the disease progresses. This trial addresses a real gap in care by shifting some of the responsibility to family members, who want to play a more active role in helping.