Place attachment in stroke rehabilitation: a transdisciplinary encounter between cultural geography, environmental psychology and rehabilitation medicine

Abstract

Purpose: To increase understanding of stroke survivor’s needs to successfully re-establish attachment to meaningful places at home and in the community. Methods: Qualitative research methodology including in-depth interviews with stroke survivors in the clinical, post-discharge and reintegration phases of the rehabilitation process. Results: Participants longed for recovery and domestic places in the clinical phase, for pre-stroke activities and roles in the post-discharge phase, and for recognition and a sense of belonging in the reintegration phase. The participants’ selves had changed, while the spatial and social contexts of their homes had remained the same. Their spatial scope became smaller in both a social and a geographical sense. It was difficult to achieve a feeling of being at home in their bodies and own living environments again. The complexities that needed to be dealt with to engage with the outside world, turned participants unintentionally inwards. In particular, family members of participants with cognitive problems, longed for support and recognition in dealing with the changed personality of their spouses. Conclusions: Rehabilitation should put greater effort into supporting stroke survivors and their families in home-making and community reintegration processes, and help them to re-own and renegotiate their disabled bodies and changed identities in real life.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• The experienced self-body split, identity confusion and related mourning process should be foregrounded in the post-discharge phase rather than functional recovery, in order to help stroke survivors understand and come to terms with their changed bodies and selves.

• In the post-discharge and reintegration phases stroke survivors should be coached in rebuilding meaningful relations to their bodies, home and communities again.

• This home-making process should start at real-life sites where stroke survivors wish to (inter)act.

• Continuity of patient care
• environment
• identity
• place attachment
• stroke

Acknowledgements

Special thanks go to the individuals who participated in this study. We also thank Linden Douma and Jelle Straatsma, Master students at the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, who conducted some of the interviews.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.