The Experiences and Evaluation of a Complex Intervention for Couples Coping With Stroke

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Psychology

Background:

• Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide.
• Asian caregivers often face significant filial responsibilities.
• The 3H (Head, Heart, Hands) intervention was developed in Singapore to support stroke patient-caregiver couples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore participants' experiences with the 3H intervention.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the 3H intervention for couples coping with stroke.

Main Methods:

• Interpretive descriptive qualitative design.
• Semistructured interviews with 7 stroke patients and 7 spousal caregivers.
• Conventional content analysis of interview data.

Main Results:

• Participants felt better prepared to face post-stroke challenges.
• The intervention improved couples' coping through open communication, mutual support, and education.
• Participants experienced enhanced coping by "breaking the silence," fostering support, and meeting educational needs.

Conclusions:

• The 3H intervention is beneficial and suitable for clinical implementation before hospital discharge.
• Extending the 3H intervention into community nursing is recommended to strengthen hospital-to-home care transitions.
• Healthcare professionals should prioritize support for stroke patient-caregiver couples to improve their quality of life.