title: Changes in activities of wives caring for their husbands following stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of caregivers of persons with stroke with respect to their own physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative, descriptive approach was used to study 10 caregivers of persons with stroke, recruited from a stroke exercise class in a large urban rehabilitation facility. Caregivers participated in individual, semi-structured interviews that were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a constant comparative method. An inductive, iterative approach was applied to determine the codes and themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four main themes were identified: change in role, change in activity, barriers to activity and health, and change in meaning of activity. Barriers to activity included guilt, time, and energy. Participants revealed that activity became more therapeutic after stroke and that participants preferred purposeful, functional, and partnered activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings emphasize the importance of the husband-wife dyad and of movement toward a family-centred care approach. Education should be provided to caregivers regarding their role, barriers, and health-promoting activities. Future research should focus on determining appropriate physical-activity programmes for caregivers as well as on evaluating implementation of partnered exercise programmes for caregivers and persons with stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Vi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nelken
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cott