Enjoyable company in sharing stroke experiences; - lifestyle groups after stroke

Abstract

Background: Even people with mild to moderate stroke will experience changes in their abilities to perform everyday occupations. Group interventions may be appropriate in late-stage rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to explore how the participants involved themselves in person-centered lifestyle groups after stroke in Norway.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were performed with six older adults with mild-to-moderate stroke who had participated in lifestyle groups over a period of nine months. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: The participants involved themselves in the lifestyle groups in a variety of ways by creating enjoyable company in sharing stroke experiences, sharing knowledgeable interest, pushing and forcing each other forward and reflecting on self-worth. Through doing group activities together, they created various ways of being, belonging and becoming, addressing development of strategies for regaining self-belief and a sense of autonomy, and for adapting to everyday life post-stroke.

Conclusion: The participants were active contributors in the groups and pushed each other and themselves regarding involvement in meaningful occupations. This active participation seemed to bring the participants’ resources into focus and contrasted with the frequent negative perceptions of people post-stroke as ‘victims’.

Keywords:

• Stroke
• lifestyle groups
• late-stage rehabilitation
• occupational therapy

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to give special thanks to all the participants who shared their experiences with their involvement in the lifestyle group program.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Research ethics

The study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics and was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.