Pohl P1, Wressle E2, Dizdar N3, Enthoven P4
1Linköping University - LiU, Department of Activity and Health, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping, Sweden, 2Linköping University - LiU, Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping, Sweden, 3Linköping University - LiU, Department of Neurology, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping, Sweden, 4Linköping University - LiU, Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, neurological disease that affects mobility and health-related quality of life through a neurodegenerative disease process. Pharmacology does not fully address motor, cognitive, or psychosocial symptoms; therefore, adjunctive therapies have an important role to play to sustain and improve functional abilities. The Ronnie Gardiner Method (RGM) is a relatively new innovative music-based intervention with potential to alleviate many symptoms in PD. RGM acts as a stimulus to obtain motor, cognitive, and emotional responses by combining movement and sensory stimulation (visual, auditory, and tactile). In order to optimize the effectiveness it is essential to consider both objective and subjective evaluations when testing new complex interventions. The efficacy of RGM for people with PD was recently evaluated in a clinical trial. To explore subjective meanings and lived experiences qualitative approaches can contribute to the evaluation of complex interventions and have the potential to provide a more in-depth information about phenomena under study. To further broaden the perspectives, the delivering physiotherapists should be included in the evaluation.
Purpose: To describe participants' and delivering physiotherapists' experiences from the music-based intervention Ronnie Gardiner Method after a twelve-week intervention.
Methods: A qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological approach was chosen as theoretical framework. Methodological triangulation was used to collect data: six semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted including 25 participants (17 men and 8 women; mean age 70 years), and one focus group interview with the two delivering physiotherapists. Additional in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants from the focus groups. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and a qualitative content analysis with inductive and deductive approach was conducted.
Results: Twenty-seven informants were interviewed (25 participants, two physiotherapists); eight participants undertook both focus group and individual interviews. Three broad themes were derived from the data. Expectation vs. results described the expectations the informants initially had, and results that were noted. Perspectives on treatment contents showed which components of RGM the informants found beneficial, and important details for improving the treatment. Key factors for success covered narratives of leadership competencies, and contextual components. In general, RGM was found to be interesting and beneficial, and some functional improvements were described. The participants and the delivering physiotherapists did not fully share the same experiences, although both parties enjoyed working with RGM. Suggestions were made by both the participants and the physiotherapists on how to improve future treatment sessions when including patients with Parkinson's disease.
Conclusion(s): Both the participants of the intervention and the delivering physiotherapists found RGM to be beneficial and enjoyable in many ways. Suggestions were made by both participants and physiotherapists on how to improve the intervention further to optimize the effectiveness. Future studies should address other neurological deficits in order to optimize best practice of RGM
Implications: The findings indicate that the Ronnie Gardiner Method may be a valuable addition to other exercise forms in people with Parkinson's disease in physiotherapy practice. This study provides additional suggestions to optimize sessions and content of the intervention.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease, Music-based intervention, Qualitative research
Funding acknowledgements: County Council of Östergötland, Henry and Ella Margareta Ståhl Foundation, Tornspiran Foundation, Neuro Sweden, and Research Foundation for Parkinson's disease.
Purpose: To describe participants' and delivering physiotherapists' experiences from the music-based intervention Ronnie Gardiner Method after a twelve-week intervention.
Methods: A qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological approach was chosen as theoretical framework. Methodological triangulation was used to collect data: six semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted including 25 participants (17 men and 8 women; mean age 70 years), and one focus group interview with the two delivering physiotherapists. Additional in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants from the focus groups. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and a qualitative content analysis with inductive and deductive approach was conducted.
Results: Twenty-seven informants were interviewed (25 participants, two physiotherapists); eight participants undertook both focus group and individual interviews. Three broad themes were derived from the data. Expectation vs. results described the expectations the informants initially had, and results that were noted. Perspectives on treatment contents showed which components of RGM the informants found beneficial, and important details for improving the treatment. Key factors for success covered narratives of leadership competencies, and contextual components. In general, RGM was found to be interesting and beneficial, and some functional improvements were described. The participants and the delivering physiotherapists did not fully share the same experiences, although both parties enjoyed working with RGM. Suggestions were made by both the participants and the physiotherapists on how to improve future treatment sessions when including patients with Parkinson's disease.
Conclusion(s): Both the participants of the intervention and the delivering physiotherapists found RGM to be beneficial and enjoyable in many ways. Suggestions were made by both participants and physiotherapists on how to improve the intervention further to optimize the effectiveness. Future studies should address other neurological deficits in order to optimize best practice of RGM
Implications: The findings indicate that the Ronnie Gardiner Method may be a valuable addition to other exercise forms in people with Parkinson's disease in physiotherapy practice. This study provides additional suggestions to optimize sessions and content of the intervention.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease, Music-based intervention, Qualitative research
Funding acknowledgements: County Council of Östergötland, Henry and Ella Margareta Ståhl Foundation, Tornspiran Foundation, Neuro Sweden, and Research Foundation for Parkinson's disease.
Topic: Neurology: Parkinson's disease; Disability & rehabilitation
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Department of Medical and Health Sciences
Ethics committee: The Regional Ethical Review Board in Linköping, Sweden
Ethics number: Reference number 2016-179/31
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
