Objective: To find out whether a 10 to 14 days group-based in-patient rehabilitation course for patients with Parkinson disease and their caregivers has any long-term effect on caregiver burden.

Background: Intensive out-patient rehabilitation can increase caregiver burden because of many transportations. In-patient rehabilitation could decrease the caregiver burden.

Methods: During a period of three years, all applicants (N=1535) for Parkinson rehabilitation courses in Finland were sent a Zarit questionnaire for their caregivers to fill in and return. A repeat questionnaire was sent after six months to those who completed the first one. The results were analyzed for two main groups: 1. Patients who had attended a course and 2. Patients who were still waiting for a suitable course after six months. We analyzed whether the change in the Zarit sum (range: 22–110) differed between these two groups.

Results: 1007 patients agreed to participate in the study. 369 caregivers completed the baseline and follow-up questionnaires.

Among patients who participated in a course (N=221, 80 women) the median age was 66 yrs (range 36–88 yrs), median disease duration three yrs (<1–25 yrs), baseline Zarit sum median 37 (22–81), and in six months’ follow-up 38 (22–93). Median change in Zarit sum was 0 (-40 to +25).

Among patients who were still waiting for a suitable course (N= 148, 67 women) the mean age was 67 yrs (range 35–84), median disease duration four yrs (<1–24), baseline Zarit sum median 44 (22–90), and in six months’ follow-up 43 (22–83). Median change in Zarit sum was 0 (-30 to +41).

In both groups the results were analyzed also according the baseline Zarit sum level (>44 vs. < 44). In the group 1, the results were also analyzed separately if the caregiver also participated in the course (N=142) or not (N=70), these data were missing for nine patients. The caregiver burden decreased in groups with baseline Zarit sum >44 and the biggest decrease with median eight points was seen in the group where patients participated the course without their caregiver.

Conclusions: As most patients who participated in group-based rehabilitation were not severely disabled the caregiver burden was mostly low and six months Zarit sum median change was zero in both the intervention and the control group. Caregivers with more burden seemed to benefit from the in-patient courses, especially if the patient attended the course alone.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/in-patient-parkinson-courses-and-caregiver-burden/