A bridge between a lonely soul and the surrounding world: A study on existential consequences of being closely related to a person with aphasia

摘要

This study illuminates existential consequences of being closely related to a person suffering from aphasia. Seventeen closenrelatives were interviewed and their narratives were interpreted with inspiration from Ricoeur, Levinas, Husserl, Winnicot,nand Maurice Merleau-Ponty. The emerging interpretations resulted in four themes that illuminate a life characterized bynlost freedom, staying, a new form of relationship, and growing strong together with others. An overarching theme suggestsnthat a life together with an aphasic person means being used as a bridge between the aphasic person and the surroundingnworld. Moreover, it illuminates that a close relative to a person with aphasia is a person who does not leave, despite a heavynburden of lonely responsibility. It is concluded that community services need to fulfill their responsibility of providingnsupport to informal caregivers as suggested by the Swedish lawmakers.