Personal experiences

OBJECTIVE: To explore the experience of caregiving in informal carers of stroke patients.

DESIGN: The research approach was qualitative. Data were collected one year after the stroke occurred using a semi-structured interview. The audio-taped interviews were transcribed and following this process were analysed thematically using constant comparative procedures.

SETTING: West of Scotland.

SUBJECTS: Twenty-two informal carers of stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the third most common cause of death in industrialized countries and a major cause of adult disability. However, the burden of caring for stroke survivors usually rests with family members who have neither chosen nor volunteered for the role of 'carer'.

AIMS: This paper reports on a study which aimed to describe the experience of caring for a stroke survivor at one year after stroke in Scotland.