Preferences and concerns for care needs in advanced Parkinson's disease: a qualitative study of couples.
Date
2016-08-29
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Abstract
Aims and objectives: To explore how couples with Parkinson’s disease (PD) discuss their needs,
concerns, and preferences at the advanced stages of illness.
Background: The majority of care for people with PD is provided at home by family members. PD is
characterized by a slow progressive decline with care needs often exceeding a decade.
Design: A descriptive qualitative study with 14 couples.
Methods: Data were collected on two occasions over a one month period utilizing semi‐structured
interviews, with both individual and couple interviews. Data were analyzed thematically by the research
team.
Results: All participants discussed the strong desire to remain in their homes for as long as possible. For
the people with PD, placement to long‐term facilities was not an option to be considered. For spouses,
there was an acknowledgement there may come a time when they could no longer continue to provide
care. Concerns regarding falls, choking, voice production, financial strain and need for prognostic
information from providers were influences on what they believed the future would hold and the
decisions they would need to make.
Conclusions: The need for improved communication between providers and PD couples is evident.
Interventions to support the couple in their discussions and decision making regarding remaining in the
home or not, and options to support advanced care needs are required.
Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses can help support decision making by providing tangible
information regarding the advanced stages of PD including adequate prognostic information.
Advanced PD
2
What does this article contribute to the wider global clinical community?
>\Preferences for placement to long‐term care facilities are different among people with PD and
their spouses. Beliefs about the future and decision making are influenced by concerns about
physical complications including falls and choking and the need for prognostic information from
health care providers.
The need for improved communication between health care providers and PD couples is
reported.
Nursing interventions to support the couple in their discussions and decision making regarding
placement and options to support advanced care needs are required.
Description
Author's final draft after peer review
Keywords
Citation
Habermann, Barbara, and Ju Young Shin. "Preferences and concerns for care needs in advanced Parkinson's disease: a qualitative study of couples." Journal of clinical nursing 26.11-12 (2017): 1650-1656.