UCC start-up hopes to improve speech for people with Parkinson's disease through new app

Frank Mullen, 61, will paddle down the Shannon this summer to raise money for Parkinson's Ireland. Picture: Frank Mullen/Parkinson's Ireland

A pilot study from a start-up in University College Cork (UCC) has shown positive results in terms of helping patients with Parkinson's Disease to retain vocal function for longer.

Using digital speech therapy technology, Telea hopes that it can assist people to maintain their voice and slow down progression of Parkinson's.

The digital platform and app provides a connection between patients and speech and language therapists.

It give therapists the ability to monitor patient progress as well as treat them remotely while also empowering the patient.

It increases the quality, quantity and consistency of treatment as prescribed exercises can be done and monitored from home.

Almost 12,000 people in Ireland are living with Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement.

Around 90% of people with Parkinson's experience difficulty with speech and communication. These can include weakened voice quality, impaired pitch variation, and less clarity when pronouncing speech sounds.

Having difficulty with speech can have a significant impact on a person's life and can sometimes lead to social withdrawal and isolation.

Telea conducted a pilot programme involving seven speech and language therapists and 37 of their Parkinson's patients.

It found that the average improvement of voice was 10% across a mix of clinician-rated and patient-reported outcome measurements.

More than 80% of patients said their adherence with their speech therapy exercises improved with some completing an average of 62 exercises per week.

Director of Health Innovation Hub Ireland, which supported the study, Dr Tanya Mulcahy, said that there was a notable improvement in the speech of those patients who engaged with their exercises more.

One of the patient participants said they could feel the strength in their voice since starting the app.

Among the exercises that can be prescribed and completed on the app are low-pitch and high-pitch drills, functional phrases, sustained vowel phonation, and reading aloud. Therapists have the ability to access an overview of their clients using the app.

As well as benefiting the patient, the app also saved time for the speech and language therapists.

Therapists found that 60% less time was required for a typical treatment plan and also reduced the need for home visits by 60%.

As a result, there was an 80% reduction in wait times for speech and language assessment and intervention for those diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Following the successful pilot, Telea has secured HSE funding to scale up their work with the platform and to expand its usage.

Paddle for Parkinson's 

Frank Mullen, 61, will paddle down the Shannon this summer to raise money for Parkinson's Ireland. Picture: Frank Mullen/Parkinson's Ireland

A Dublin man is picking up a paddle for Parkinson's this summer as he intends to take on the 300km journey down the Shannon.

Frank Mullen launched his fundraiser ahead of World Parkinson's Disease Day on Thursday.

The 61-year-old project manager was diagnosed with Parkinson's last year but said that he sees it as an opportunity to embrace life fully.

"Receiving a diagnosis like this is tough, but there is absolutely no reason why I can’t have a full and long life, with the right medication and the right fitness regime," he said.

He will undertake the challenge this June and will have to cover approximately 30km each day over the course of 10 days.

Over the coming months, Mr Mullen has committed to an intense training regime to improve his strength, endurance, and paddling technique.

He hopes that his efforts will highlight the importance of exercise and community while raising €10,000 to support the work of Parkinson's Ireland.

“For me, raising funds is like paying it forward while I can, as they day may come where I too need support from Parkinsons Ireland” he said.

“I know I can do this, and now is the time to do it. And no better way than through the exhilarating sport of Kayaking which I got to know through Scouting Ireland.” An avid kayaker for the past eight years, Mr Mullen said that while it will be tough, he feels he is up to the challenge.