Poster can be found in location 49.

Mental fatigue is a common life-limiting condition after stroke with a negative impact on the ability to return to work and maintain employment. People of working age typically participate in complex activities, such as work, family responsibilities, childcare, and transportation, requiring them to employ planning, multitasking, and problem-solving skills. Today there is limited research that has regarded work as an integral part of everyday life. The aim was to investigate how people of working age with mental fatigue after stroke experience their work potential in relation to a sustainable everyday life. A qualitative and descriptive design, involving 37 telephone interviews (age 38 – 62, 76% women) using the Worker Role Interview (WRI) complemented with a survey including the Mental Fatigue Scale, the Work Ability Index, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was conducted. Written notes from the WRI assessment were analyzed through manifest content analysis. Statistical analyses were performed on WRI and survey data. Results revealed the persons’ motivation as a strong prerequisite towards rediscovering work ability in everyday life, and to act and make occupational choices to manage mental fatigue. Negotiating roles and navigate daily routines by simplifying everyday life and incorporate rest were prerequisites for maintaining employment. Moreover, an essential need was to have supportive environments, both within and outside of the workplace.  This study emphasizes the vital need to consider everyday life and work as a cohesive whole. Recognizing mental fatigue having a negative impact on performance of activities and on meeting pre-stroke role expectations. Work training provided insights into challenges related to integrating work into everyday life. A person-centred approach is crucial to providing proactive, health-promoting interventions in order to support a sustainable return to work and life-situation over time.