Stroke survivors’ experiences with rebuilding life in the community and exercising at home: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explore how stroke survivors deal with stroke-related impairments when rebuilding their lives in the community and their experiences of exercising at home. Design: An explorative and descriptive qualitative study. Methods: A purposive sample of ten stroke survivors residing at home was recruited to explore experiences of rebuilding their lives in the community and exercising at home. One focus group interview was conducted followed by semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes were identified: “Framing exercise within the context of everyday life” describes how stroke survivors integrate exercise in everyday activities with varying success and the social importance of exercising; “Managing the challenges of physical impairment” describes the taxing undertakings in daily living, loss of concentration and identity; “Long-term challenges of everyday life” describes how the stroke survivors manage depression and live with a sense of uncertainty.