Changes in daily occupations and the meaning of work for three women caring for relatives post-stroke

AbstractStudy aim: 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 strategie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy 2014-09, Vol.21 (5), p.348-358
Main Authors: Van Dongen, Isabella, Josephsson, Staffan, Ekstam, Lisa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of Daily Living - psychology
Adaptation, Psychological
apoplexy
Caregivers - psychology
daily occupations
Employment - psychology
family caregivers
Female
hjerneslag
Humans
Life Change Events
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Middle Aged
omsorgsarbeid
phenomenology
pårørende
Qualitative Research
Self Care - psychology
Social Values
stroke
Stroke Rehabilitation
work
Work - psychology
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Summary:AbstractStudy aim: 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.
ISSN:1103-8128
1651-2014
1651-2014
DOI:10.3109/11038128.2014.903995