Introduction and aim:
Return to work (RTW) after acquired brain injury (ABI) is a demanding process for the client and need support. This study’s aim was to understand the support person’s perception of supporting clients with ABI to a successful RTW.
Method:
Nine persons who acted as support persons in the vocational rehabilitation (VR) process were chosen by clients with ABI participating in a previous study. Three of the support persons had a formal mandate to support the client by the employer and six of them were characterized as providing informal support. All the support persons had different kind of work. Semi structured interviews were conducted and analyzed by latent content analysis.
Findings:
The analysis elicited three themes describing the support person’s perception in the assistance for the client to successfully RTW: (i) Commitment, (ii) Adaptation and (iii) Cooperation. Within each of the theme multiple mechanisms were identified, reflecting the complexity that the VR process had for the client. The mechanisms were about strategic issues, reflection and decision making. The support persons experienced that their role was extra valuable for the client in contexts where adaptation and cooperation was required. Commitment built on social relations is linked to sustainability of the support.
Conclusion:
Support persons play a multi-dimensional role which is important for client with ABI to successfully RTW.