Experiences of Family Members in Caring of Stroke Patients: A Case Study in the Border Provinces of the Upper Northeast of Thailand

BACKGROUND: Stroke patients require continued care, which makes stroke family caregivers unlikely to anticipate the end of home health-care service. AIM: The objectives of this study aimed, therefore, to seek understanding of stroke family caregivers in relation to caring experience, problems and barriers, and needs of family caregivers in the context of border provinces of the upper northeast of Thailand. METHODS: The current study was based on the phenomenological approach. The study samples included 16 informants. Data collection, conducted between February and August 2020, was performed using in-depth interviews. The collected data then were analyzed using the van Manen’s approach. RESULTS: Experiences of the stroke family caregivers were reflected and fell in van Manen’s 4 points under 12 thematic categories: (1) Lived body including lack of knowledge, fatigue, and sense of obligation; (2) lived time including paying gratitude, uncertainty, and paying retribution; (3) lived space including just long distance, being isolated in the wide world and living in a remote area; and (4) lived relation including blood thicker than water, community network, and needs from health-care services. CONCLUSION: The findings may be exploited to develop health service preparedness for health outcome promotion for stroke patients and stroke family caregivers.