“Just got to live life as it comes”: A case study of the spousal-dyad longitudinal mild stroke transitional experience

ABSTRACT

Objective: To longitudinally explore the transition home for a spousal dyad following mild stroke, in the context of a mild stroke-specific health service.

Research Design: A case study approach, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), was identified as suitable for this study, as it enabled the essence of the phenomenon to be examined.

Method: Participants were purposively chosen from a Randomised Control Trial (RCT), to reflect the average age, gender and marital status of the mild stroke population. The participants were a male (age 64) and his wife (age 62). Participants received the RCT intervention. Semi-structured interviews were completed separately with participants at 1-, 3-, 6- and 9- months post stroke.

Results: Two themes were identified: (1) The Unexpected, Undesirable and Short-Lived, and (2) The New ‘Normal’. The first theme reflects the confusion, adjustment and adaptation that occurred for the couple, especially during the first month at home. The second represents the couple’s journey back to their everyday lives following hospital discharge, but also the questions and changes that remained present at 9-months post-discharge.

Conclusions: Themes demonstrate an ongoing process of adjustment and the contextual nature of the transitional experience. Results also indicate the need to ensure that individuals have access to mild-stroke specific information across the transition continuum.

KEYWORDS:

• Stroke
• adjustment
• continuity of patient care

Acknowledgments

The research team would like to firstly acknowledge the participants that took part in the study. Additionally, acknowledgement is given to the Randomised Controlled Trial research team in which this study was embedded: Professor Suzanne Kuys, Dr Andrew Wong, Ms Leah Thompson and Dr Angela Maguire.

Additional information

Funding

Tenelle Hodson is a recipient of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation New Investigator Grant [NI2017-03], and a University of Queensland Research Higher Degree Scholarship (Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship). Petrea Cornwell received the Allied Health Professions’ Office of Queensland Health Practitioner’s Research Grant for the RCT in which this study is embedded.

Notes on contributors

Tenelle Hodson

Tenelle Hodson is a PhD Candidate in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland.

Louise Gustafsson

Louise Gustafsson is a Professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences at Griffith University.

Petrea Cornwell

Petrea Cornwell is an Associate Professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences at Griffith University.