Reengagement in meaningful occupations during the transition from hospital to home for people with acquired brain injury and their family caregivers.
OBJECTIVE
To explore people's lived experiences of reengagement in meaningful occupations during the hospital-to-home transition phase after acquired brain injury (ABI).


METHODS
Participants included 20 people with ABI and 18 family caregivers. On the basis of a phenomenological approach, data collection entailed in-depth semistructured interviews at predischarge and 1 and 3 months postdischarge. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts involved open, axial, and selective coding techniques.


RESULTS
Two primary themes emerged from the analysis: desired versus actual participation and struggle for independence. Theme 1 depicts the key occupations of importance to people and their caregivers during transition and explores desired and actual participation in occupations. Theme 2 highlights the struggle to regain independence and the differing perspectives of the 2 participant groups concerning this process.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical practice implications relate to client-centered goal setting, contexts and environments in which therapy occurs, and provision of information to patients and families.
Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Therapies Building, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia. b.turner2@uq.edu.au
Benjamin
B
Turner
Tamara
T
Ownsworth
Petrea
P
Cornwell
Jennifer
J
Fleming
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult