The lived experience of supporting people with mild stroke

Abstract

Background: Mild stroke occurrences are rising and in order to comprehensively understand the experience of this health phenomenon, the context in which people with mild stroke live must be explored. Spouses are an important part of the lives of this population, but their experiences are yet to be fully understood.

Aims/Objectives: To answer the question: “What is the essence of the mild stroke experience from the perspective of spouses during the first 9-months after acute hospital discharge, in Australia?”

Materials and Methods: Qualitative study involving four spouses at 9-months post-acute hospital discharge for their family member. Interpretative phenomenological analysis used to analyze interview transcripts.

Results: Two themes identified: (1) Activities gained but time lost, and (2) Small changes but big impacts. The first theme portrays the increase in daily activity that spouses experienced due to caregiving related activities, which impacted on their occupational participation. The second highlights the impact that people with mild strokes’ behavioral and emotional changes can have on spouses.

Conclusions and Significance: Whilst spouses generally return to their daily routines after a family members’ mild stroke, some will experience increased time pressures and occupational disruptions. Health providers should prepare spouses for behavioral and emotional changes in people with mild stroke.

Keywords:

• Caregivers
• Stroke
• Life Change Events
• Quality of Life

Acknowledgements

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

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was support by The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation under the New Investigator Grant [NI2017-03], and a University of Queensland under a 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.