A team of researchers have conducted a systematic review to identify effective psychosocial interventions for informal caregivers of stroke survivors.
The researchers examined 24 relevant research articles covering around 3,700 informal carers. Psychosocial interventions were examined to assess effectiveness in reducing carer strain, depression, anxiety and improving quality of life.
Effective interventions were found include skills-based problem-solving content, telephone delivery, longer duration, and increased contact time. Interventions were largely delivered by nurses, although psychologists, physiotherapists, social workers, other frontline staff, rehabilitation staff and researchers were also involved.
The researchers concluded that providing remote support over extended durations may improve the psychological well-being of informal stroke carers, commenting on the importance of assessing digital accessibility and making provision for tailored information.
For more information on the research, visit www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2025.2552876#abstract
Reference: Farrell, L. J., Gracey, F., Warty, M., & Ford, C. E. L. (2025). The effectiveness of interventions to support informal stroke carers: A systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 48(9).
https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2025.2552876
For more information on support for carers, see our section Caring or access our publication Caring for someone with a brain injury.