The Founders of PhagiaFlex
Page and Jolie Parker, M.S.CCC-SLP, Founders of Alternative Speech and Swallowing Solutions, inc.:
Jolie received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from the University of Florida and then went on to receive her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology also from the University of Central Arkansas. She specializes in the treatment of people who have dysphagia, to strengthen the swallow, to help them swallow more safely, and to widen the UES during the swallow.
Jolie holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA), a state license from the Florida Department of Health, and has over 25 years of experience in clinical settings, hospitals, nursing homes, and home health care.
The first ISO-CTAR (PhagiaFlex) device we made in 2009 was made out of aluminum, before we ever heard of CTAR. We called it the Head Nod Against Resistance exercise. A couple of years later, research came out with the same exercise, but a catchier name: the CTAR exercise.
In 2009, Jolie asked her husband, Page Parker, to help her make a device for swallowing exercises for her dysphagia patients. She was frustrated by the lack of effectiveness of dysphagia exercises with her patients. She noticed that the best results she got seemed to be with the Shaker exercise for dysphagia, but it was very inconvenient to get patients into and out of the supine position (lying down) to do this exercise. She wanted an easier way to do the Shaker exercise for dysphagia, and to target the suprahyoid muscles more intensely.
Together, Page and Jolie invented the ISO Swallowing Exercise Device (now called the Phagiaflex Device). Patients loved it and started making better progress right away! Over the years, they have improved it and Jolie has used it with hundreds of dysphagia patients with much better success than any other exercises she has ever used with patients.
As Jolie worked on swallowing problems with patients, she also noticed that their voices became much stronger and louder, with better vocal range. Then, she realized that the device could also be used to do Vocal Cord Adduction Exercises, as any straining activity, even the small strain of pressing the chin down against resistance, results in the vocal cords pressing together. Therefore, it can be used as a way of doing vocal cord adduction exercises. Also, by strengthening the suprahyoid muscles, which elevate the larynx, you also improve vocal range.
Since then, many research studies have been completed involving the CTAR and JOAR exercises and indicating good results. It is now widely accepted as Evidence Based Practice and is currently being used by many well respected hospitals and rehab centers. Page and Jolie Parker are both instrumental in the on-going development and management of Alternative Speech and Swallowing Solutions, Inc. They provide free training and support for use of the PhagiaFlex Devices by email or zoom.
We would be happy to do a free online demonstration of how to use the PhagiaFlex devices anytime. Just send us a message, if you would like to set up a free demo!