Family Caregiving for Husbands with Stroke: An Occupational Perspective on Leisure in the Stress Process

Abstract

This study adapted the Stress Process Model with occupational assessments to identify stress, leisure changes, burden levels, and health-related quality of life in 20 caregivers of working-age husbands with mild to moderate stroke in the past 2 years. Primary stress was based on participants' perceptions of their husbands' functional behavior skills. Secondary strain was indicated by reduction of leisure activities that the caregivers wished to still do or do more—a phenomena labeled Leisure Loss. Outcomes were burden and health-related quality of life. Wives whose husbands had more functional behavior difficulties experienced significantly more Leisure Loss. Wives with Leisure Loss had significantly higher burden scores than those who continued their leisure participation, but health-related quality of life scores were not different. These findings suggest that leisure participation is important as health promotion for family caregivers, with potential to enhance health of the relative with stroke and the entire family.