Background and aims: The ‘transition’ phase from hospital to home following brain injury is well established as a critical period of adjustment for individuals and their families. There is, however, a lack of knowledge about the experience of transition following nontraumatic brain injury (e.g., stroke, aneurysm) for individuals of working age. The purpose of this study was to explore the transition experiences of individuals with nontraumatic brain injury using mixed methods approach.

Methods: Six individuals with nontraumatic brain injury were recruited from a larger study using maximum variation sampling criteria. Individuals participated in semistructured interviews at 6-months postdischarge and completed quantitative measures of psychosocial outcomes predischarge and at 6-months postdischarge. Results: Qualitative content analysis of interviews identified three themes: (1) changes in role performance, (2) support and services and (3) coping with life after brain injury. The transition experience was characterised by loss of valued roles including driving and work, identified as major barriers to regaining independence postdischarge. Informal support provided by family and friends were relied on, while formal supports were accessed infrequently. Life post-injury presented a number of challenges including adjusting to changes in physical and cognitive abilities and a fear of reinjury. Qualitative data were supported by an overall trend of improved functioning on the quantitative measures over the 6 months.

Conclusions: Key life circumstances of working age adults with nontraumatic brain injury influence the transition experience. Clinically, the findings support the need for individualised, structured transition services pre- and postdischarge for this group.

Background and Aims: Return to work presents a unique transition for the person with mild stroke who is often unsupported and does not anticipate difficulties from hidden impairments. The aim of this study was to explore the return to work experience from the perspective of one person with mild stroke.

Methods: An inductive thematic analysis was undertaken with a narrative of e-mail correspondence from a person with mild stroke. The analysis follows the participant from three to six years after stroke during a process of upskilling and training for return to work.

Results: The female participant was 32 years old at the time of stroke and returned to tertiary studies after experiencing difficulties with initial return to work. Four themes emerged from the analysis of the narrative: I don't know which identity to choose, My anxieties and reactions, I need support and structure, and I am exhausted.

Discussion: The results demonstrate the impact of hidden impairments on the struggle to reconcile a past with present identity. The process of reconciliation was ongoing and dependent on work-based experiences that enhanced understanding of strengths and limitations, and required adaptations. The impact of fatigue on performance in work and non-work time was highlighted.

The transition from hospital to home following traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been identified as the point where responsibility for care shifts from rehabilitation services to informal family caregivers. There has, however, been little research examining the experiences of family members during this important transition that involves adopting or, in some cases, resuming a caring role (e.g., a parent caring for an adult child). The aim of this qualitative investigation was to understand the experiences of family caregivers during the transition from hospital to home, defined as the first six months postdischarge. The sample included 10 family caregivers, of which all were female and either a mother, spouse or ex-partner of an individual with TBI. Semistructured interviews were conducted on average nine months following community reentry and data were analysed thematically using a framework approach. The overarching theme was that caregivers wished to move past the injury. This desire to move forward stemmed from a realisation of how their life had changed and the weight of the care responsibility. Caregivers were also aware of how the life of the individual with a TBI had changed and hoped for a return to normality (by regaining independence, engaging in meaningful occupation and having meaningful relationships). Implications of the findings for research and clinical practice are discussed. There is a need for services to support family caregivers during the transition from hospital to home.