The function of the health care counsellor in rehabilitation for people with stroke

Abstract

Supporting patients in rehabilitation after stroke is an important function for the health care counsellor. This article analyzes the function of the health care counsellor from a systems theory perspective, as applied to patient experiences of resilience and quality of life. Interviews with 19 people affected by stroke were analyzed thematically and resulted in five areas of importance for the health care counsellor’s function. The themes that emerged at the micro level were: security and predictability; meaning and hope; at the meso level: social and formal support; coordination and information; and at the macro level: dissemination of knowledge and competence. The registered health care counsellors’ function at different levels within the system, which means that they professionally adopt a holistic view focusing on the individual in relation to the situation and context.