Examining the feasibility and acceptability of a tailored support package for informal stroke carers

The tailored support package is a 12-week program designed for informal carers of people who have had a stroke. The program has been co-designed with carers and allied healthcare professionals to ensure the program is addressing carer needs and priorities. Once enrolled, Participants will be asked to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire to collect information such as age, sex, relationship to stroke patient etc. Participants will also be asked to indicate and provide their preferred method of contact (phone call, zoom, text, email) for regular ‘check-in sessions’ to be conducted by a member of the research team every 3 weeks for the duration of the study. Participants will be advised that they can opt in for additional ‘check in sessions’ and provided a link to do this. Participants will then be asked to attend the inpatient unit where the stroke patient is admitted to engage in an initial session (~15 minutes) with an allied healthcare professional. During this initial contact healthcare professionals will provide carers with the core resource booklet resource including topics on stoke education (e.g., signs and symptoms, types of stroke, stroke rehabilitation), the role of healthcare professionals, strategies to promote carer health and wellbeing, carer stories, and support services. This core resource was developed specifically for this study using a co-design approach that involved stroke carers and healthcare professionals to ensure it met the needs of end users. Then, the healthcare professionals will go through a standardised checklist via Qualtrics with a list of additional topics (i.e., additional stroke resources, funding schemes, healthy habits, etc.) and participants will be asked to indicate which topics they would like more information on and whether they would like the information to be detailed or brief (this will determine the versions of the tailored support documents that will be provided). This list of topics will also be available within the core resource booklet for participants to review in their own time. If participants would like to request further information on any of the topics they can do so throughout the program. Following this initial session, a member of the research team will contact the participant via the preferred method and provide them with a tailored resource package including the preferred topics that the informal carer selected during the initial session with the allied health professional. Starting from week three of the program participants will be provided with a "check in" session every three weeks (~15-30 minutes) for the duration of the program. This contact will be made by a member of the research team who is a qualified healthcare professional with relevant experience. "Check in" sessions will be conducted with participants to provide an opportunity for participants to ask any questions, request additional information, and ensure they are aware of support services that are available for informal carers. Regular check ins may also help to support the general wellbeing of the participants as they navigate the carer role. During “check in” sessions, a member of the research team initiating the contact will use a standardised observation form through Qualtrics to record general notes around topics discussed and questions. This will also be used to track attendance and what information participants are requesting information on and at what time point.