Giving voice to people with the dementia and their carers about a home-based physical activity programme: a qualitative study

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, Ana Paula Palongan de
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/31559
• topic: Motivators; Barriers; Impacts; Exercise; Informal carer; Personcentered approach

Introduction: The promotion of home-based physical activity programmes seems to be an opportunity to offer a personalised intervention to maintain the independence of people with dementia (PwD) for longer. Although promising results of these interventions in the physical health of PwD are known, adherence to physical activity has been a challenge and the opinions of PwD and their informal carers are often overlooked. Listening to PwD and their carers is essential to identify barriers, motivators/facilitators, to physical activity. The aim of this study was to explore the perceived barriers, motivators/facilitators and impacts of participation in a home-based physical activity programme for PwD (LiFE4D) from the perspective of PwD and their informal carers. Methods: Short semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 people with dementia (n=9; 60% women, 82 [75-84] years old, Addenbrooke´s Cognitive Examination - III total score 50.4 [22-72] points) and 9 carers (n=7, 77.8 % women, 72 [60-76] years, 3 [2-4.5] years providing care). Deductive thematic analysis was performed using the Web Qualitative Data Analysis software. Results: 44 subthemes were identified. The sub-themes were divided into 4 themes: barriers, motivators/facilitators, impacts of the programme and other subthemes. PwD identified 25 subthemes and carers identified 19 subthemes. Participants perceived more motivators/facilitators than barriers to participate in LiFE4D; the subthemes reported in common were easy exercises and professional support from motivators/facilitators; and tiredness and lack of time at the barriers. Only positive impacts of participation in LiFE4D were perceived by PwD and their carers. Conclusions: Participants perceived more motivators/facilitators than barriers of participating in LiFE4D. The individualised personcentred approach, and the carers involvement facilitated adherence to the programme. Difficulties such as tiredness, physical health problems and lack of time were seen as main barriers. Although there are some subthemes in common, there were barriers, motivators/facilitators barriers and impacts that differed between PwD and their carers. Such differences must be explored in order to improve physical activity interventions directed at this audience.