title: The perspectives of spouses of stroke survivors on self-management - a focus group study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This qualitative study explored how stroke survivors' spouses described their own self-management, their partner's self-management post-stroke and how they had been supported in developing self-management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group interviews were conducted with 33 spouses of stroke survivors 34-79 years of age. A constant comparative framework was used for the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stroke also affected the spouses, gave changes in their relationships and challenged in being a caregiver beside being partner. They felt burdened, lonely, sad, and guilty. To manage themselves, many participants created time for themselves. For most spouses, self-management was connoted with co-management because they perceived their partners were not able to manage themselves completely post-stroke. They often felt lost after their partners came home and reported that they learned how to coach their partners post-stroke by trial and error, without much professional support. Moreover, many spouses experienced informal peer support as helpful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spouses of stroke survivors should be involved as soon as possible in stroke-rehabilitation and continue at home post-discharge. In addition to enhancing the spouses' skills in caregiving and supporting self-management, stroke survivors' spouses also need support in their own emotional and role management. Moreover, peers can play a role in rehabilitation post-stroke. Implications for Rehabilitation Spouses of stroke survivors should be considered as full participants of stroke-self-management programs to enhance their skills in caregiving and supporting self-management. Stroke survivors' spouses need support in their own emotional and role management. Peer support can play a role in rehabilitation post-stroke for stroke survivors as well as their spouses.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Therapy and Research Group Neurorehabilitation , HAN University of Applied Sciences , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.|b Department of Rehabilitation , Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Scientific Institute for Quality of Health Care , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.|c Research Group Neurorehabilitation , HAN University of Applied Sciences , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satink
authors.affiliation: b Department of Rehabilitation , Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Scientific Institute for Quality of Health Care , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Edith H C
authors.initials: EHC
authors.lastname: Cup
authors.affiliation: b Department of Rehabilitation , Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Scientific Institute for Quality of Health Care , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.|c Research Group Neurorehabilitation , HAN University of Applied Sciences , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bert J M
authors.initials: BJM
authors.lastname: de Swart
authors.affiliation: b Department of Rehabilitation , Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Scientific Institute for Quality of Health Care , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria W G
authors.initials: MWG
authors.lastname: Nijhuis-van der Sanden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009426:Netherlands; D010351:Patient Discharge; D036301:Qualitative Research; D000073278:Self-Management; D012944:Social Support; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Stroke; caregivers; role management; self-management; spouses