Challenges and strategies among women and men with Parkinson’s disease: Striving toward joie de vivre in daily life

Abstract

Introduction

To offer people with Parkinson’s disease optimal occupational therapy, it is important to have a detailed understanding of how they manage everyday life. The aims of this study were to explore how people with Parkinson’s disease manage the effect of the disease on everyday life and to investigate gender similarities and differences concerning this issue.

Method

We interviewed 24 people with Parkinson’s disease (14 men), at a mean of 8 years after diagnosis. The interviews were analysed according to Grounded Theory.

Findings

‘Striving to maintain a good everyday life’ was established as a core category. To overcome obstacles caused by the disease, the interviewees struggled with perpetual adaptation to the medication regime and ongoing changes in their abilities. To achieve best possible everyday life, it was essential to keep their own spirit up; for example, by prioritising valued occupations. Women and men contributed to all categories and used the same strategies.

Conclusion

Men and women with Parkinson’s disease used the same strategies to manage daily life challenges. Our findings support the relevance of disease-specific occupational therapy interventions focusing on the individual fit between person, environment and occupation, and highlight the need for joyful occupations to attain a satisfactory daily life.