The capacity of informal caregivers in the rehabilitation of older people after a stroke.

Caregivers were recruited from two public hospitals and one home care service in southern Brazil, so results may not apply to other regions or health systems. Care activities were not observed; scores were based on caregiver report, which may overstate ability. The sample was non-probabilistic, so it does not represent all caregivers of older adults after stroke. The Modified Rankin Scale used to select participants was not validated for Brazil. The caregiver scale has no cut-off point, so scores describe performance but do not define a safe level. The scale was applied only in the outpatient context, although it was designed for outpatient and home settings.

Funding came from the Fundo de Incentivo à Pesquisa e Eventos do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre for photocopies, reviews and statistical consultancy. No competing-interest declaration is included in the supplied text.

Do not read the high reported activity scores as evidence that caregivers were competent or that patients did well after discharge. The study describes what caregivers reported doing, not observed patient outcomes, and many caregivers still reported poor posture during transfers and positioning.