Every Monday morning at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus in Savannah, a group called the Savannah Songbirds meets to sing together. The choir is made up of people living with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders who are using music as a way to strengthen their voices and connect with others.
The Savannah Songbirds program operates within Georgia Southern’s RiteCare Center for Communication Sciences and Disorders. It combines therapy with singing, offering participants a supportive environment where they can work on vocal strength and regain confidence.
Kimberlee Hise, who has been part of the group since it began in 2023, shared her experience: “It has become much harder, and it makes me sad that I can’t sing as much as I used to,” she said. “And that’s why this program is so great. I’ve met some great people, and working with the students is wonderful.”
The choir was started by Tory Candea, SLP.D., director of clinical education in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Georgia Southern. Graduate students from the communications sciences and disorders program help support the group. According to Candea, Parkinson’s disease often leads to a softer voice, which can make daily communication difficult. “The softer voice impacts so many things relating to their lives,” said Candea. “They’re not able to communicate in a noisy restaurant, or they may have trouble speaking on the telephone or communicating. Additionally, it impacts their ability to go out to their doctor’s appointments and interact with people in the community. It’s embarrassing and also frustrating.”
Singing together allows members to practice speaking more loudly and clearly while being part of a community facing similar challenges.
Sandra Mullis, clinical coordinator at the RiteCare Center, explained how important engagement is for participants: “We find that if we can identify areas that our clients and our community are really invested in, that makes a huge difference in how they carry over the strategies that they learn,” she said. “You can see that growth and increase in engagement, confidence and communication really quickly with them. For a lot of them, I think that’s part of the confidence — knowing there are other people working through this with them.”
Recently, the Songbirds received additional support through a $4,000 Community Grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation. This funding will allow the RiteCare Center to provide transportation for choir members attending rehearsals and performances as well as purchase new music materials and equipment.
“We are so excited about this grant,” Candea said. “It will support our singers and offer invaluable learning opportunities for students in the communication sciences and disorders program, while also providing support, community and fellowship for the singers. The funds will help gain access to new music and equipment and secure a venue for our performances.”
For those interested in joining or learning more about services offered by Georgia Southern University’s RiteCare Center for Communication Sciences and Disorders or about joining Savannah Songbirds choir programs, information is available online.
