Presenters
Jennifer Cody, MS, CCC-SLP
Financial Relationship: Receives a salary as an employee of Parkinson Voice Project.
Nonfinancial Relationship: None
Jennifer Cody, MS, CCC-SLP has specialized in the treatment of Parkinson’s-related speech and communication disorders for most of her career as a speech-language pathologist. She received her BA in anthropology from the University of Oklahoma and her MS in communication disorders from the University of Texas at Dallas. Cody has been working with Parkinson Voice Project since 2009. In addition to individual therapy, she leads several weekly group therapy sessions, including one tailored specifically to individuals who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS). She has presented posters and oral sessions at the annual conferences of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association about SPEAK OUT!®, neurogenic stuttering in Parkinson’s disease, and the implementation of group maintenance therapy for people with Parkinson’s.
Lecture Description
Up to 90% of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s are likely to develop speech disorders which can lead to decreased independence, reduced social participation, and weakening of the swallowing mechanism. In this presentation, Jennifer Cody will outline the symptoms of a speech disorder related to Parkinson’s and describe Parkinson Voice Project’s approach to regaining and maintaining effective communication through SPEAK OUT!® and The LOUD Crowd®. She will present the six basic components of the program, as well as the supporting research. Practical tips and tricks for keeping up with therapy schedules and daily home practice will inspire participants to proactively keep their communication skills intentional for the rest of their lives.