‘Thrown in the deep end’: a qualitative study of community participation during inpatient rehabilitation and transition to community living from the perspective of family members of people with severe brain injury

Although family members clearly play an important role in the achievement of community and social participation, the participants of this study identified many factors that impact their experience of supporting positive outcomes. There are important implications for rehabilitation services, such as ensuring families feel welcomed and engaged within rehabilitation, positioning the person with ABI within their family context in rehabilitation, and providing opportunities for supported, meaningful and contextual experiences within rehabilitation.