Supporting communication difficulties in people living with Parkinson’s – a pilot study of language treatment
Parkinson's disease
Participants will join six weekly individual sessions with an SLT via videoconferencing software such as Microsoft Teams. Each session will last 45-60 minutes. The sessions will cover four areas: 1. Communication awareness: learning about how Parkinson’s affects language and communication, and tips and strategies for when they get stuck in a conversation. 2. Language gym: exercises to help find words more easily, remember what people say, etc. 3. Functional tasks: using what participants have practised in daily situations that matter to them. 4. Communication partner training (CPT): finding what both partners do well in conversations, and new habits to make talking smoother.
Participants with Parkinson's: 1. Confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson’s 2. Native-like speaker competence of English 3. Patient/carer reports of reduced communication participation 4. Presence of mild to moderate impairment of verbal fluency, word finding ability and high-level language processing (severe impairment is associated with dementia and thus not eligible) 5. Ability to use, or have support to use, technology for digital therapeutic resources 6. Access to a regular communication partner - this can be a spouse/family member, friend or regular carer. Communication partners: 1. Ability to use, or have support to use, technology for digital therapeutic resources
Participants with Parkinson's: 1. Confirmed diagnosis of other types of Parkinsonism 2. Visual or hearing difficulties that would prevent participation in the study tasks 3. Non-native-like speaker competence in English 4. Dementia 5. Communication problems due to other neurological or developmental conditions Communication partners: 1. Visual or hearing difficulties that would prevent participation in the study tasks 2. Dementia and other conditions significantly impacting their ability to communicate