An integrative group movement program for people with dementia and care partners together (Paired PLIÉ): initial process evaluation

Abstract

Objectives: To understand feedback from participants in Paired PLIÉ (Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise), a novel, integrative group movement program for people with dementia and their care partners, in order to refine the intervention and study procedures.

Method: Data sources included daily logs from the first Paired PLIÉ RCT group, final reflections from the second Paired PLIÉ RCT group, and responses to requests for feedback and letters of support from Paired PLIÉ community class participants. All data are reports from care partners. The qualitative coding process was iterative and conducted with a multidisciplinary team. The coding team began with a previously established framework that was modified and expanded to reflect emerging themes. Regular team meetings were held to confirm validity and to reach consensus around the coding system as it was developed and applied. Reliability was checked by having a second team member apply the coding system to a subset of the data.

Results: Key themes that emerged included care partner-reported improvements in physical functioning, cognitive functioning, social/emotional functioning, and relationship quality that were attributed to participation in Paired PLIÉ. Opportunities to improve the intervention and reduce study burden were identified. Care partners who transitioned to the community class after participating in the Paired PLIÉ study reported ongoing benefits.

Conclusion: These qualitative results show that people with dementia and their care partners can participate in and benefit from community-based programs like Paired PLIÉ that include both partners, and focus on building skills to maintain function and quality of life.

Keywords:

• Dementia and cognitive disorders
• caregiving
• psychosocial interventions

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank all of the team members who contributed to the development and assessment of the Paired PLIÉ program as well as the research study participants and caregivers.

Disclosure statement

As co-inventors of the Paired PLIÉ program, Dr. Barnes and Dr. Mehling have the potential to earn royalities if the program is commercialized. Dr. Casey, Dr. Harrison and Dr. Ventura have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Alzheimer’s Association under grant NPSASA-15-364656; the National Institute on Aging under grants T32AG049663 and T32AG000212; Tideswell at UCSF; Andrew and Ellen Bradley; the UCSF Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center; and the Atlantic Fellowship at the Global Brain Health Institute.