Home-based exercise rehabilitation experience for older adult patients with Parkinson's disease and caregivers: a qualitative research.

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ObjectiveTo understand the real-life experiences and needs of older adult patients with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers regarding home-based exercise rehabilitation, and to provide evidence for developing scientifically grounded home exercise rehabilitation intervention programs.MethodsA total of 15 older adult patients with Parkinson's disease and 13 caregivers from the Neurology Department of a tertiary-level Class A hospital in Urumqi were selected using purposive sampling for semi-structured interviews. Data analysis and theme extraction were conducted using content analysis.ResultsThe analysis identified three primary themes: (1) "The Knowledge-Practice Gap in Self-Management," in which poor understanding of PD and exercise benefits resulted in low motivation and a lack of accessible skills led to monotonous routines; (2) "The Unsupported Caregiver: A System and Family Gap," in which the efforts of caregivers were hindered by their own limitations and a lack of training, compounded by the absence of family and community support networks; and (3) "An Appeal for an Integrated Support Continuum," which reflected a strong need for ongoing professional guidance and comprehensive social and policy support.ConclusionSystemic multidimensional bottlenecks, specifically a critical knowledge-practice gap among patients and a stark lack of support for aging caregivers, hinder home-based exercise rehabilitation for older adults with PD in northwest China. To address these context-specific barriers, healthcare systems should develop an integrated "hospital-community-family" care model that provides continuous professional guidance and robust social support, ultimately aiming at improving rehabilitation efficacy and quality of life.

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