The registered nurse program at Sophiahemmet University in Stockholm—a 180-credit nursing program—includes a 15-credit bachelor’s thesis as the final project.
On the surface, this project focuses on methodology, structure, and scientific rigor, but in practice, it also becomes a journey into people’s lives, experiences, and aspects that are not always visible in the more formal aspects of healthcare.
The thesis is titled:
CARING FOR A LOVED ONE AFTER A STROKE: EXPERIENCES OF INFORMAL CAREGIVERS IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES – A LITERATURE REVIEW
“Caring for a stroke survivor: Experiences of family caregivers in low- and middle-income countries – A Literature Review”
When someone suffers a stroke, life changes—not only for the person who falls ill, but also for their loved ones, who often find themselves stepping into a role they never chose. A role that involves responsibility, constant presence, and care—sometimes around the clock—often without adequate support.
In low- and middle-income countries, this becomes particularly evident, as access to formal care and rehabilitation is often limited, which means that the family bears an even greater share of the responsibility. What may be organized care in one system becomes part of everyday life at home in another. Through this literature review, I have highlighted these experiences not merely as statistics or categories of outcomes, but as lived lives. Stories of physical and emotional strain, of changing roles and relationships, but also of adaptation, strength, and the search for meaning.& nbsp;This work has also served as a reminder of something that sometimes risks being lost within the structure of healthcare: that care is not merely a task but a relationship, and that understanding that relationship is a prerequisite for providing good and equitable care.
This thesis marks the end of an educational program, but also the beginning of something else: a continued exploration of what care truly is, beyond guidelines and routines, where the human element must always be given space.