New grant to expand speech therapy services for those with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that often leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balancing, and coordination. Ninety percent of people with Parkinson’s also risk developing a weak voice that can result in serious speech and swallowing difficulties.

To help make speech therapy programs more accessible to people with Parkinson’s disease, Nina Santus, Ph.D., a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education, and the UGA Speech and Hearing Clinic, will receive voice therapy training as part of a grant from the [Parkinson Voice Project](https://www.parkinsonvoiceproject.org/).

Additionally, more than 60 speech and language pathology graduate students and T.J. Ragan, director of UGA’s Speech and Hearing Clinic and clinical associate professor in the College, will receive voice training therapy for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.

“This is invaluable education for our students,” Santus said. “These students are going to go out into the field and treat hundreds, if not thousands, of clients during their lifetime and be able to teach future students. You can’t quantify the impact of this grant because it keeps going.”

[Read the full story on our website](https://coe.uga.edu/news/2021-05-new-grant-to-expand-speech-therapy-services-for-those-with-parkinsons-disease).