Parkinson's Communication Strategies for Optimal Success

Conversation is the primary mechanism by which humans create and maintain relationships. Yet, in the context of Parkinson’s disease (and typical aging) changes in speech, facial expressions, cognition, voice, and hearing can interfere with communicating messages and creating meaningful connections in conversations between individuals with Parkinson’s disease and their partners. These changes significantly impact the perceived burden (social, emotional, physical) and practical aspects of living with Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Roberts will focus on the multidimensional nature of conversation difficulties in the context of living with Parkinson’s disease and will discuss communication strategies for optimizing successful conversation interactions.