The Meaning of Occupational Gaps in Everyday Life in the First Year After Stroke

OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health

AOTF: The American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Interventions, Effects, and Outcomes in Occupational Therapy: Adults and Older Adults

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The Meaning of Occupational Gaps in Everyday Life in the First Year After Stroke

OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health

By Gunilla Eriksson, OT, PhD; Kerstin Tham, OT, PhD

Submitted 1/8/09; Accepted 9/6/09; Posted 11/25/09

This longitudinal study identified how occupational gaps were characterized in people’s lived experiences of performing everyday occupations during the first year after stroke. Four participants were interviewed four times during the year after stroke. The data were collected and analyzed using the Empirical, Phenomenological, Psychological method. Five main characteristics were identified: (1) encountering occupational gaps in formerly taken-for-granted activities, (2) striving to narrow gaps in desired occupations, (3) recognizing oneself in doing, (4) searching for a new sense of self through doing, and (5) creating strategies to enable doing. The findings show the importance of being able to preserve some sense of self in everyday doings after a life course disruption caused by stroke. Important implications for clinical practice include sensitivity to clients’ experiences during this process, enablement of experiences in occupations promoting recognition, and support of clients in recapturing desired occupations.

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