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This study explores stroke survivors' experience of being part of an institutional rehabilitation context and what it means for the immediate experience of discharge home. The aim is to develop a deeper understanding of how the dynamic phenomenon body, participation in everyday life and sense of self interrelates and changes through stroke survivors' movement in and between the two contexts and what this phenomenon means for stroke survivors' process of change and well-being in the early rehabilitation trajectory. Repeated, retrospective, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine persons living with moderate impairment after stroke and their closest relatives. Phenomenological and critical psychological concepts are used for analysing the data. Stroke survivors' experience indicates that their time as in-patients is important for their safety in the early juncture. Being part of an institutional rehabilitation context mobilizes stroke survivors' to optimize focus, energy and hope of physical recovery. At the same time it appears to postpone feelings of uncertainty and grief as well as reflection on their situation. However, immediately after homecoming a critical passage in the stroke survivors' rehabilitation trajectory appears because the perception of body, participation in everyday life and the sense of self undergo profound changes. This study stresses the importance of broadening the scope of professional initiative and paying attention to the post-rehabilitation context of everyday life during the in-patient stay. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Providing assistive technology devices to older individuals living in their ordinary homes is an important intervention to increase and sustain independence and to enable ageing at home. However, little is known about older individuals' experiences and needs in the assistive technology device (ATD) service delivery process. The purpose of this study was to investigate older individuals' experiences during the service delivery process of ATDs. Methods: Nine older individuals were interviewed three times each throughout the ATD service delivery process. The interviews were analysed within a hermeneutical phenomenological perspective. Results: The results show that the service delivery process could be interpreted as an enigmatic journey and described using four themes: 'hope and optimistic expectations', 'managing after delivery or needing additional help', 'having available help versus being abandoned', and 'taking charge or putting up'. Conclusions: The results emphasize the need for occupational therapists to maintain an individualized approach towards older clients throughout the service delivery process. The experiences of older individuals were diverse and related to expectations that were not necessarily articulated to the occupational therapist. The situation when the ATD is delivered to the client was highlighted by the clients as an important event with the potential to facilitate a successful service delivery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unmet need for assistive technology devices (ATD) occurs when a person would benefit from ATD, as assessed by health-care professionals or by the person In question. Unmet ATD needs In the elderly population have been documented, but little is known about the experience of living with such unmet needs. Purpose: To investigate the unmet need experiences of home-dwelling elderly people In Norway who have applied for ATD. Method: Nine elderly people who lived at home and had applied for ATD were interviewed. The interview transcripts were analysed withIn a hermeneutical phenomenological perspective. Results: The unmet ATD need experiences involved enduring a difficult situation by adjusting their expectations and activities, being introduced to ATD as a possible solution to the difficulties and negotiating this potential solution In light of the perceived situation. Conclusion: Observers assessments of unmet ATD needs are not readily experienced as such by the elderly. Adjusting expectations and activities enabled the participants to maintaIn meaningful activities but also made the difficulties less likely to be articulated as unmet needs. When encountering elderly people, health-care professionals must be sensitive to the unarticulated needs and potential difficulties of the elderly In performing everyday activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 108-116 Maintain a level of activity and exercise is advice often given to patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, but many patients find physical activity painful and consequently hesitate to move. Disability seems to be associated with fear of pain and there is a need to enhance our understanding of patients' beliefs and attitudes about how fear of pain affects physical activity and why some people are active despite their pain. The aim of this research was to understand thoughts and experiences about pain related to activity in patients with musculoskeletal disorders; the situations that promoted pain and if and how fear was expressed. Five women and five men, recruited from a larger survey on fear, pain and physical activity were interviewed. The interviews were analysed by qualitative methods for themes about participants' pain and beliefs about pain. By interpreting signals from the body, patients calculated and planned their daily life to stay active despite pain and participate in their social lives. Pain was a signal with diverse meanings which, with the influence of time, seemed to change from a sign of danger to a reminder to moderate their level of activity. By experimenting with different activities, patients learned how to gradually remain or become physically active. Patients strived to stay active despite pain. The interpretation of pain changed over time, from a threatening signal to a signal with diverse meanings. The findings provide insights that may improve the educational rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]