Browsing by Author "Robinson, Tanis Arlene La Rose"

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    Continuing the Dance: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Understanding Transitions of Rural Couples with Parkinson's Disease
    (2020-09-14) Robinson, Tanis Arlene La Rose; Venturato, Lorraine; Bouchal, Shelley Raffin; Green, Theresa L.
    Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex chronic debilitating neurological disease characterized by muscle stiffness, rigidity, tremors, and postural imbalances – making it the second most common neurological disorder in Canada after Alzheimer’s disease. PD affects more men than women, diagnosis occurs around age 60, no known cause or cure exists, and rural living has been linked as a known risk factor. Little extant research helps us understand the rural couple’s experience and the processes used to adapt and transition to living with PD. As a result, adaptations and transitions of couples living in rural areas and implications to accessing health care services were explored. Constructivist grounded theory methodology guided this study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit five couples and one additional participant living in rural areas, in which one spouse was diagnosed with PD, for a total of 11 participants. Five open-ended intensive joint interviews and one single intensive interview were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory analysis steps were used to guide analysis of the data. Participants described their experience of living with PD in rural areas as an innate process of adapting, planning, and managing PD that allowed them to transition together, as a couple. Their main concern was learning how to negotiate the adaptations and transitions together – continuing a dance they began together many years ago. Through “negotiating the dance” together, couples “choreographed the dance,” “danced together,” and experienced “Adagio–Changing the Tempo.” As a result, they “continue the dance” every day. Recommendations for further research on rural couples with PD and the broader Parkinson’s community are also made.