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Poised for Parkinson's - an Intervention to Increase Embodied Agency in People With Parkinson's Disease and Their Carers

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Parkinson's Disease
Interventions
Behavioral: Poised for Parkinson's
Registration Number
NCT04726709
Lead Sponsor
University of Idaho
Brief Summary

The purpose of the study is to develop, deliver, and test an online Alexander-based training program for people with Parkinson's disease and their care partners.

Detailed Description

Six dyads, each consisting of a person with Parkinson's disease and their care partner, will participate in a real-time online course called "Poised for Parkinson's." The course will meet twice per week via Zoom for eighteen 105-minute sessions. Outcome measures, including surveys, interviews, balance, and motor performance, will be assessed the week before classes begin and the week after classes end.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
32
Inclusion Criteria
  • dyad including care partner and person with Parkinson's disease
  • Hoehn & Yahr Stage 2 (estimated)
  • vision and hearing (corrected to) normal
  • able to use computer, Internet, and Zoom
  • ambulatory without assistive devices
  • reside in Idaho
Exclusion Criteria
  • dementia (screen with MOCA)
  • severe musculoskeletal pain (screen in interview)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Poised for Parkinson'sPoised for Parkinson'sAlexander-technique-based online course to increase embodied agency in people with Parkinson's disease and their care partners.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Balance: Self-reportAssessed the week before the intervention (week 1) and the week after the intervention (week 11). Difference is reported. Positive number indicates improvement.

Activities Balance Confidence scale. Possible score from 0-100. Higher score is better.

Motor Function - ObjectiveAssessed the week before the intervention (week 1) and the week after the intervention (week 11). Difference is reported. Positive number indicates improvement.

Physical Performance Test (7 items). Score can vary from 0-28. Higher score is better.

Balance - ObjectiveAssessed the week before the intervention (week 1) and the week after the intervention (week 11). Difference is reported. Positive number indicates improvement.

Due to COVID, we only assessed the subset of brief Bestest that can be scored online: standing on each foot, gait stability, and forward reach. Possible scores: 0-12. Higher score is better. Positive number indicates improvement.

Posture - ObjectiveAssessed the week before the intervention (week 1) and the week after the intervention (week 11). Difference is reported. Positive number indicates improvement.

Assessed by photo in sagittal plane. Positive numbers indicate a more upright posture.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Feasibility - AttendanceAttendance will be tracked at every class session, weeks 2-10.

Course attendance (out of 16)

Symptom ManagementAssessed the week before the intervention (week 1) and the week after the intervention (week 11). Difference is reported. Positive number indicates improvement.

Survey administered by phone, with 29 Likert scale questions on a scale of 0-5 asking how well the person with Parkinson's disease is able to manage typical Parkinson's symptoms, including bradykinesia, tremor, stooped posture, freezing of gait, anxiety, fatigue, and so on. Higher scores indicate better symptom management. The scores were summed, with a possible range of 0-145.

Feasibility - Retentionassessed after the intervention (week 11)

Study retention: number of participants who completed the study

Care-partner Self-management SkillAssessed after the intervention (week 11)

Anonymous course evaluation survey filled out and mailed in. Question reported: I feel I am better prepared for the present and future daily challenges of being my partner's care partner. Rate from 1-10 with 10 being high.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Poise Project

🇺🇸

Candler, North Carolina, United States

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