The everyday life of adult family members of working aged survivors of stroke during the first year after the stroke – an integrative review

Abstract

The purpose of this integrative review was to describe the everyday life of adult family members of working aged survivors of stroke during the first year after the occurrence of the stroke. The studies were researched from Medline, Cinahl, PsycINFO, Medic and Linda databases. The data consisted of 40 articles which were published in scientific journals during 2007-2012. The quality of the articles were assessed with the critical appraisal tools JBI QARI and JBI MAStARI^[1]. The articles were analyzed with thematic analysis. The everyday life of adult family members included initially becoming the family member of a survivor of stroke, living as their family member, and eventually coming to terms with life with the survivor of a stroke. Becoming the family member meant living in a focused state of chaos, trying to be strong for the loved one, and going forward in life. It also emphasized the need to rebuild and find a balance in the shadow of the illness and the needs of this complex situation. Coming to terms with the changed life situation of the family member consisted of trying to stabilize emotional wellbeing amid bouts of anxiety and depression. The results of this research should help nurses to better meet the needs of family members at the right time in order to help them deal with expected problems. There is much evidence about older caregivers’ needs, but only scant evidence about younger caregivers and their working aged relatives, especially just after the stroke. This integrative literature review gives important information about the everyday life of family members of working aged survivors of stroke and helps nurses to better understand them and their needs.