Exploring the personal stroke and rehabilitation experiences of older adults with chronic stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study.

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101256506 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1748-2631 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17482623 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2016- : Philadelphia, PA : Taylor & Francis
Original Publication: London ; New York : Taylor & Francis, c2006-

COVID-19* ; Stroke* ; Stroke Rehabilitation*; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Pandemics ; Ontario ; Qualitative Research

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the personal stroke and rehabilitation experiences of older adults with chronic stroke living in a mid-sized Northwestern Ontario city in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach with a constructivist worldview was used. In addition, a semi-structured interview guide was used to gather the participants' perspectives on their experiences throughout stroke recovery. Ten participants were interviewed, including six males and four females. The interviews were completed, transcribed, and analysed using inductive and deductive content analysis. Multiple steps were taken to enhance data trustworthiness.
Results: Six main themes and eight related subthemes emerged. These included: getting help is complex, the effects of stroke are multifaceted, losing rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic, overcoming hardships but not alone, "If you don't use it, you lost it": rehabilitative success is based on one's actions, and "look at me now": the importance of taking pride in one's successes.
Conclusions: One unique finding was that the participants used this study as an opportunity to teach and advocate for future stroke survivors which is not often seen in qualitative stroke rehabilitation research. Future stroke research should place emphasis on both the positive and negative experiences of this population.

AACN Clin Issues. 2005 Oct-Dec;16(4):421-40; quiz 597-8. (PMID: 16269890)
Stroke. 2014 Dec;45(12):3742-7. (PMID: 25370588)
BMJ Open. 2017 Mar 10;7(3):e011631. (PMID: 28283483)
J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2017 Apr;48(3):261-266. (PMID: 28091833)
Curr Oncol. 2023 Sep 29;30(10):8916-8927. (PMID: 37887544)
Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34(16):1376-84. (PMID: 22256799)
Res Nurs Health. 2008 Aug;31(4):391-8. (PMID: 18203128)
Top Stroke Rehabil. 2009 Mar-Apr;16(2):133-9. (PMID: 19581199)
Scand J Caring Sci. 2015 Dec;29(4):651-61. (PMID: 25648326)
Clin Rehabil. 2016 Aug;30(8):811-31. (PMID: 26330297)
Eur Stroke J. 2018 Jun;3(2):117-125. (PMID: 31008344)
J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 2017 Sep;47(3):231-236. (PMID: 29465097)
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2020 Mar;29(3):104589. (PMID: 31879136)
S Afr J Commun Disord. 2022 Aug 17;69(2):e1-e11. (PMID: 36073077)
Malawi Med J. 2015 Mar;27(1):13-5. (PMID: 26137192)
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2015 Aug;40(8):858-61. (PMID: 26244605)
Disabil Rehabil. 2017 Feb;39(3):301-313. (PMID: 26882958)
J Vasc Nurs. 2019 Dec;37(4):264-271. (PMID: 31847981)
Clin Rehabil. 2014 Feb 17;28(8):731-739. (PMID: 24535729)
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 Sep;96(9):1698-708.e10. (PMID: 25847387)
Stroke. 2010 Jul;41(7):1501-7. (PMID: 20466995)
Can J Neurol Sci. 2020 May;47(3):301-308. (PMID: 31918777)
J Rehabil Res Dev. 2008;45(2):315-22. (PMID: 18566948)
Front Psychol. 2021 Jul 09;12:647883. (PMID: 34305716)
Patient Prefer Adherence. 2019 May 08;13:739-747. (PMID: 31190756)
Stroke Res Treat. 2014;2014:626538. (PMID: 24800104)
Stroke. 2011 Mar;42(3):832-7. (PMID: 21293015)
PLoS One. 2023 Feb 28;18(2):e0282325. (PMID: 36854029)
Can J Cardiol. 2019 Mar;35(3):341-351. (PMID: 30825954)
Croat Med J. 2009 Apr;50(2):182-8. (PMID: 19399952)

Keywords: COVID-19; Exercise; experiences; rehabilitation; stroke

Date Created: 20240321 Date Completed: 20240322 Latest Revision: 20240327

20240327

PMC10962289

10.1080/17482631.2024.2331431

38511399