Aim: Early and ongoing access to rehabilitation and exercise may preserve functional mobility and quality of life for persons with Parkinson disease (PwP). The aim of the current study was to describe the experience of PwP who participated in a 7-day retreat. Materials & methods: A phenomenological approach was used to describe the lived experience of PwP. Results: Three themes emerged from interviews: a community of shared information where participants discussed exercising and learning with other PwP; improved control of Parkinson's disease symptoms, including performing physical tasks more easily and renewed motivation for their long-term plans for exercise because of the retreat. Conclusion: A 7-day retreat for PwP positively impacted perceived control of disease-related symptoms and intentions to continue exercise.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 13, No. 4

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History

Received 28 April 2023

Accepted 9 June 2023

Published online 3 July 2023

Published in print August 2023

Information

Keywords

Author contributions

All authors contributed to study conception and design and reviewed the final manuscript; LM Bordenave data analysis, interpretation of the data and writing of the manuscript; CF Nelson contributed to data collection and data analysis; BG Farley contributed to interpretation of the data and writing of the manuscript and TL McIsaac contributed to data analysis, interpretation of the data and writing of the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participants in the study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

LM Bordenave, CF Nelson and TL McIsaac have no financial disclosures. BG Farley is the chief scientific officer and founder of Parkinson Wellness Recovery which hosts the retreat. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Data sharing statement

Individual participant data will not be shared.

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Impact of a 7-day retreat for people with Parkinson's disease: a phenomenological study

Abstract

References