Restoring Quality of Life for Parkinson's Patients

The Movement Disorders Program is led by medical director Lynn Chouhfeh, MD, who is board-certified in neurology and fellowship-trained in movement disorders. 

Difficulty with Movement

One of the most common challenges people with Parkinson’s disease face is progressive difficulty with movement. Some patients experience falls, problems with walking, or challenges carrying out tasks of daily living, such as dressing and bathing themselves. Others develop tremors or have difficulty controlling movements. Communication and swallowing abilities can also be affected.

“Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder,” Dr. Chouhfeh said. “While there’s no cure, treatment usually can help the symptoms. That’s what our program specializes in.”

Addressing the Uniqueness of Each Patient as a Team

The Movement Disorders Program uses a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to Dr. Chouhfeh, the team includes occupational therapists Kristen Toussaint, MS, OTR/L, Katherine Grant, MS, OTR/L, and Kaylin Edwards, MS, OTR/L, speech-language pathologist Melissa Arasz, MS, CCC-SLP, and physical therapist Lauren Cavanaugh, DPT. All therapists have completed specialized training with the Parkinson’s Foundation.

The proper treatment of movement disorders can be challenging and requires care coordination and communication.

“We have a one-stop center with rehab services in one place,” Dr. Chouhfeh said.

Patient Frank Passaro, a former school principal, agrees. “Everything is in one place, and the staff all talk to each other about their patients’ treatment,” Passaro said. “I know where to go and exactly whom to call there. Dr. Chouhfeh is amazing. She is so knowledgeable. I highly recommend the program. Dr. Chouhfeh even offers seminars about Parkinson’s disease, which I attended with my wife.”

Getting BIG and LOUD

While the program’s treatment plans are tailored to each individual, a few research-based approaches tend to help most patients.

• LSVT BIG encourages patients to increase the size and pace of their movements through bigger steps, quicker steps and transitions, and more use of the body during movement.
• LSVT LOUD retrains patients to speak more clearly, use a louder voice and communicate with confidence.

Passaro, whose voice was weak and low when he began the program, said, “I learned to use techniques to speak louder.”

“Softening of the voice can be one of the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson’s disease,” Arasz said. “Voices may become hoarse, soft and monotone. Due to this, patients can experience less clear speech and feel frustrated about their voices. The ability to get to a good voice is still there. We just use different pathways.”

Arasz, whose grandfather, a retired physician, has Parkinson’s disease, was inspired to go into speech therapy after witnessing how he has overcome his challenges. In addition to one-on-one speech therapy, Arasz is starting a group voice exercise class called LOUD for LIFE. The class is designed to maintain what patients have learned.

Return to Doing Things You Love

Passaro, 71, the former school principal, said that before the program, “I could not get in and out of the bathtub, and I couldn’t even turn over in bed, so I couldn’t sleep.”

He has returned to teaching, working part-time with Baltimore County high school students doing mock trials.

“This has given me an opportunity to get back to working with young people, which I really love,” he said. “My friends say they can’t believe the difference.”