Devotion to Family: Coping Strategy to Reduce Burden of Caregiving Stroke Patients

Background: Informal caregivers have played a significant role since stroke survivors were discharged from the hospital. Caregivers carry out stroke survivors' daily activities, which can be burdensome. Caregiver coping strategies to reduce this burden have not been widely studied, especially in Indonesia. Purpose: This study was aimed at exploring the act of devotion as a coping strategy to reduce the burden of caring for stroke survivors. Method: This was an exploratory qualitative study of 30 informal caregivers of stroke survivors who live in a community in Surakarta, selected using purposeful sampling. In-depth interviews to explore the act of devoting as a coping strategy and observations of caregivers were conducted from June 2021 to December 2022. Finding: The data analysis revealed two primary themes: "family ties" and "physical." The family ties theme emerged with five subthemes: pride, sincerity, resigned, destiny, and responsibility. The physical theme consisted of two subthemes: ability and spirit. Conclusion: Devotion as a coping strategy for stroke informal caregivers in the community plays a crucial role in maintaining the continuity of care. It involves pride, sincerity, resigned, destiny, responsibility, ability, and spirit. Further research on the results of these findings is needed on how caregivers maintain their quality of life as they begin to become caregivers.