Experiences of an intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation for people with early-stage Parkinson's disease

Abstract Background There has been little research on the experiences of individuals in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD) when they participate in intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation programs emphasising self-management. In addition, little is known about such individuals’ transition back to everyday life following rehabilitation. This paper seeks to provide insights into such experiences. Methods A qualitative approach was utilised in the study on which this paper is based. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven individuals approximately three months after they had completed a 3-week interdisciplinary rehabilitation program. Following transcription, the interviews were analysed on the basis of Brown & Clarke’s six stage framework for thematic analysis. Results Analysis of the data yielded three core themes: being oneself during rehabilitation; believing in oneself again; and managing one’s everyday life following rehabilitation. Conclusions Our results demonstrate how an intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation program can contribute to improved physical function and self-esteem for individuals in an early phase of PD. The results also reveal ambivalence regarding relational aspects of the rehabilitation program and point to the need for more emphasis on including emotional, mental and family aspects into the program.