Hi. My mum has Parkinson’s. Her voice is very low and I feel it’s going to disappear altogether. The family finds it very difficult to understand her now and it’s getting worse. I need some sort "communication device" for the future. What if she wants water or is in pain? The other problem is her fingers; she can't move them well and might find it difficult to type. Any recommendations?
A good understanding of both these issues would give you something to work with, and a way to know when working will be of no help.
Talk to Mom's doc soon as you can.
Do know that the ParkinsonsDisease.net has a Forum of family members and patients and Facebook has several. Talking with others dealing with the same issues you are will give you great connections for things to try on this journey to make it better.
https://www.cboard.io/en/
When he, a few years later, was not trying to vocalize to communicate, she had me buy a white board with markers where I could ask him a question with yes/no written on the board, so he could use eye gaze.
He is nodding or shaking head and sometimes uses words. But speech therapy did help.
It is made for elderly people who have difficulties with new technologies, and I thought it could be a good suggestion based on your situation. There is a simple 6-button control with buttons that are big and easy to press, even if her fingers aren't moving well. She can call me on the app on my phone with just a press of one button, and it starts a video call, so I can see what's happening and react immediately.
In your case, the video call makes it easy for her to show you if she needs water or is pointing to a place where she has pain, without having to talk or type.
Also, it has a sensor that detects her routine and alerts me if something odd is happening. You can connect multiple people to the box through the app, which is convenient if you are out of reach. Finally, you can start the call even if the TV is off, so it is useful in emergencies. I hope that helps
I just Googled it and they are called....Augmentative and Alternative Communication Device (AAC)
The problem may arise if she has dementia along with the Parkinson's she may not understand how to use the tablet or she may lose the ability to communicate that way in the future.
There is a "TalkTablet Pro" that will talk when you press the icon