Michael Bedell of Northfield had a goal. He wanted to eat one meal a day safely without the help of his feeding tube. Michael has a progressive neurological disorder that is similar to Parkinson’s and which compromises his ability to swallow, speak, and use his muscles. When Michael, who is retired from the Vermont National Guard, started working with Rachel Audy, one of CVHHH’s Speech-Language Pathologists, he was taking all three of his daily meals through a feeding tube. By following a rigorous treatment program called LSVT LOUD, Michael is now able to eat one meal a day with a fork or spoon on a regular basis. He is also improving his ability to articulate when he makes phone calls.
LSVT Loud is a speech treatment for individuals with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions that supports improvements in vocal loudness, voice quality, swallowing, and facial expression. The program focuses on a single goal, to speak loud, to maximize a person’s speech intelligibility. By working through an extended course of vocal exercises with a clinician at home–and by repeating the exercises in between visits with the Speech-Language Pathologist–individuals like Michael can achieve a healthy vocal loudness without strain.
Michael and Rachel had an easy and friendly relationship, one that has grown over time and as a result of being able to celebrate successes and working toward goals together. Michael says that he feels good knowing that he has been able to make improvements for himself. To learn more about our in-home therapy services, visit us at www.cvhhh.org/URL