Changes in daily occupations and the meaning of work for three women caring for relatives post-stroke.
OBJECTIVE
This qualitative study explored how some working Austrians experienced and coped with changes in their daily occupations after becoming informal carers of persons who had had a stroke. The study provides insights into the working carers' occupational experiences and strategies during a period of pronounced life changes.


METHODS
Three participants, who were employed in full- or part-time work, as well as being informal carers of persons who had had a stroke, were interviewed on two occasions. The data from these interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analyses.


RESULTS
Carers found themselves in an ongoing process, ranging from the disruption of daily occupations to their eventual restructure. First, the stroke led to involuntary changes in the carers' daily life, which resulted in challenges in their own, and in shared, occupations. Second, carers actively changed their values and performance of occupations, which appeared to be a strategy to shape their well-being. Paid work was found to be a stabilizing and balancing occupation, which contributed to coping and the well-being of carers.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors' findings demonstrate the benefits of paid work and engagement in meaningful occupation for the carers' well-being. These results should encourage occupational therapists to be sensitive to the complexity of the lives of working informal carers.
Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet , Sweden.
Isabella
I
Van Dongen
Staffan
S
Josephsson
Lisa
L
Ekstam
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012945:Social Values; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*
apoplexy; daily occupations; family caregivers; phenomenology; stroke; work