The impact of occupational therapy in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled feasibility study.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial including process and potential impact of occupational therapy in Parkinson's disease.

Design: Process and outcome were quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated in an exploratory multicentre, two-armed randomized controlled trial at three months.

Participants: Forty-three community-dwelling patients with Parkinson's disease and difficulties in daily activities, their primary caregivers and seven occupational therapists.

Intervention: Ten weeks of home-based occupational therapy according to the Dutch guidelines of occupational therapy in Parkinson's disease versus no occupational therapy in the control group.

Main Measures: Process evaluation measured accrual, drop-out, intervention delivery and protocol adherence. Primary outcome measures of patients assessed daily functioning: Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Assessment of Motor and Process Skills. Primary outcome for caregivers was caregiver burden: Zarit Burden Inventory. Participants' perspectives of the intervention were explored using questionnaires and in-depth interviews.

Results: Inclusion was 23% (43/189), drop-out 7% (3/43) and unblinding of assessors 33% (13/40). Full intervention protocol adherence was 74% (20/27), but only 60% (71/119) of baseline Canadian Occupational Performance Measure priorities were addressed in the intervention. The outcome measures revealed negligible to small effects in favour of the intervention group. Almost all patients and caregivers of the intervention group were satisfied with the results. They perceived: 'more grip on the situation' and used 'practical advices that make life easier'. Therapists were satisfied, but wished for a longer intervention period.

Conclusions: The positive perceived impact of occupational therapy warrants a large-scale trial. Adaptations in instructions and training are needed to use the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure as primary outcome measure.