Making it work: experience of living with a person who falls due to multiple sclerosis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe how everyday life is experienced by next of kin sharing residence with a person who falls due to multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Twenty face-to-face interviews were analysed using a qualitative content analysis. Results: The overall theme "Making it work" represents the next of kin's struggle to make life work. It comprises three themes: "Taking responsibility", "Making adjustments", and "Standing aside for someone else". The two first themes reflect what relatives do to make the situation work, and the last theme represents what they give up. Conclusion: Next of kin who share residence and everyday life with a person with MS are affected by that person's occasional falls. They often take on the responsibility of preventing such falls and adapt their lives practically and emotionally. However, adaptation is neither always enough or always possible. In these cases, relatives often deprioritize their own needs and free time to make everyday life in the home work.