Gond-Pontouvre: singing against Parkinson’s disease

Patients, carers and volunteers from the Charente France Parkinson’s Committee gathered on Sunday in Gond-Pontouvray to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the patient support association. …

Patients, carers and volunteers from the Charente France Parkinson’s Committee gathered on Sunday in Gond-Pontouvray to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the patient support association. The topic was about voice. On this occasion, the “Pink Song” choir, created from committee members affected by the disease, performed. “Working on singing, breathing, posture is a very enjoyable way to work on the voice,” explains Edith Berger, dynamic president. Under the direction of the choir director Jean-Claude Audoin, they performed several famous songs and one written by one of the choir members and set to music by the conductor. It was then that the Opacad Choir brilliantly closed the concert under the direction of Catherine Philippe with Michel Maté on accordion. The famous Charente limousine group was founded by Francis Berger and celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. Francis Berger was Edith’s husband, he died of illness.

The meeting, which aimed to destigmatize and confront the disease, began with the presentation of the BeatMove device, created by a university company in Montpellier. This helps to activate and stabilize the walking of people suffering from this disease, accompanied by music. Moderate physical activity helps reduce the risk of mortality. Afterwards, Odile Carrière, a speech therapist from Saint-Hyrier, with numerous diagrams, described in detail the care she provides to patients to correct the various symptoms caused by the disease: articulation disorders, swallowing, to avoid “false paths” of eating. , improving pitch and voice strength. “It is very important to start seeing speech therapy immediately after diagnosis,” the therapist said. “Non-drug care is necessary from the very beginning.” Overall: “Don’t be alone in the face of the disease,” says the France and Parkinson’s Association.

Contact: comite16@franceparkinson.fr or 06 09 60 37 07.