Motor Performance and Quality of Life in a Community Exercise Program for Parkinson Disease

Abstract

We investigated the effect of a comprehensive community program composed of exercise, mindfulness practice, and education on motor function and quality of life in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Thirty-six participants completed physical and quality-of-life assessments independently at baseline and 12 months. Physical assessments showed stability or improvement in functional mobility, integrated strength, and walking ability over the 1-year interval. PDQ-39 measures showed improvement in 6 of 8 indices: mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, stigma reduction, social support, and bodily discomfort. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of exercise, mindfulness, and education in community and group settings.