'You do know he's had a stroke, don't you?' Preparation for family care-giving - the neglected dimension

Countries throughout the developed world have introduced a policy of commun ity care for older people to reduce costs to the state and maintain quality of life. In reality community care is largely family care and recognition of the nee d to support family carers is being promoted through the notion of partners hip with professional carers. Such a partnership calls for a more complete understanding of how carers' n eeds change over time and how professional support can be most effective. Support is particularly important at the start of care-giving in order that carers can exercise free choice and be adequately prepared for their role. This paper provides an overview an ongoing longitudinal study and reports s pecifically on the findings of data from a preliminary study in which a con venience sample of seven experienced carers of stroke survivors who attende d a stroke and carers club were interviewed in their own homes. Based on initial data from a longitudinal study of stroke victims, this pap er outlines four themes: 'What's it all about', 'Going it alone', 'Up to th e job' and 'What about me?' These themes highlight the difficulties carers experience in the immediate aftermath of stroke.