Couples' approaches to changes in everyday life during the first year after stroke.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to identify and describe two couples' approaches to changes in everyday life during the first year after a stroke. An additional aim was to describe how the couples viewed rehabilitation as well as their own personal training relative to changes in everyday life during the first year at home after stroke.


METHODS
The study design was a prospective longitudinal case study based on two couples where one of the spouses in each couple had experienced a stroke. Data collection consisted of interviews and a questionnaire and took place in the participants' homes. Data analysis utilized a constant comparative method.


RESULTS
The findings showed a divergence in the couples' approaches to changes in their everyday life at home and were described through the following categorizations: engaging in occupations, getting experience and thereby feedback from doing, changing one's occupational needs and demands, contributing to a picture of a possible future and, integrating training in everyday life. Getting experience and feedback from doing was found to be a key category or "driver" in the change process.


CONCLUSIONS
The couples' experiences of changes in everyday life after stroke illustrated two very divergent approaches, which is discussed in the paper. The approaches in turn had consequences for how daily life was spent after stroke which is also discussed.
Ekstam
Lisa
L
Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. lisa.ekstam@ki.se
Tham
Kerstin
K
Borell
Lena
L
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012917:Social Adjustment; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires