THE MEANING OF CAREGIVER ADAPTATION IN CARING FOR POST-STROKE PATIENTS WITH NEUROLOGICAL DISABILITIES AT HOME

Abstract

Caring for post-stroke patients with neurological disabilities at home requires family caregivers to adapt to long-term care demands. Previous studies have mostly described caregiver burden, needs, and barriers and facilitators of adaptation, while how caregivers interpret and negotiate adaptation over time remains underexplored. This study aimed to explore the meaning of adaptation among family caregivers of post-stroke patients with persistent neurological impairments. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of 14 family caregivers selected purposively and interviewed through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Four themes emerged: rebuilding everyday life around patient dependency, learning caregiving through experience and professional guidance, managing emotional exhaustion and changing family roles, and developing acceptance, confidence, and new meaning in caregiving. Conceptually, adaptation is a non-linear process that integrates practical adjustment, negotiation of family relationships, and meaning-making. These findings point to three nursing implications: continuing skills training after discharge, sharing caregiving responsibilities within the family, and periodic assessment of caregiver needs.