Family-mediated exercises (FAME): An exploration of participant's involvement in a novel form of exercise delivery after stroke

Background: Family members and caregivers play a significant supporting role in the rehabilitation process after stroke, a role that may increase with the growing trend of providing stroke rehabilitation in the individual's own home after discharge from the hospital. Objective: To explore the impact of family involvement in exercise delivery after stroke from the perspective of the individual with stroke and his or her family member. Methods: A qualitative research design was used in which in-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with participants who had taken part in an 8-week family-mediated exercise program (FAME). A phenomenological theoretical framework and a grounded theory methodology were used to inform the data analysis. Results: Fifteen individuals with acute stroke and 15 designated "family" members participated in the study after completion of an 8-week, individually tailored, family-mediated exercise intervention. An overarching concept of patient-centeredness emerged after data analysis, which detailed the extent to which individuals with stroke and their families felt that their rehabilitation was enhanced by the active role of their families. Four key themes that expanded the concept of patient-centeredness were identified: personalized nature of the reported benefits, therapeutic value of the program, family involvement, and caregiver commitment to program. Conclusion: This research serves to increase our understanding of the role of family members in the rehabilitation process after stroke, particularly in relation to exercise delivery, from the perspective of the individuals with stroke and their family members.