Development of a person-centred lifestyle intervention for older adults following a stroke or transient ischaemic attack.

BACKGROUND

Older adults with mild to moderate stroke or transient ischaemic attack often experience anxiety, depression and reduced social participation in their daily lives. Interventions addressing the long-term consequences of stroke are needed.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the process of developing a person-centred lifestyle intervention for older adults with stroke.

METHODS

The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure was used to develop the content of the intervention. Lifestyle groups were implemented at senior centres once a week for nine months. Content analysis was used to analyse the intervention content.

RESULTS

A total of 132 participants (median age 79 years, 55% women, 52% lived alone) were recruited from hospitals. The participants prioritized 392 occupational problems, mainly related to active recreation, household and community management, mobility, and socialization. The occupational issues were addressed in the group interventions. New themes also emerged in line with the participants' choices through group discussions, such as information on stroke and prevention of new strokes, outdoor mobility and transportation, "brain use" and memory.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates the development of intervention following stroke, addressing its process, structure, and components. Whether the person-centred process increases the potential for enhancing participants' social participation and well-being should be evaluated in future studies.