Table 3. Summary of key themes.

Themes	Participants with MSI	Family members and friend participants
Sources and types of support	Received • Parents • Spouses • Friends • Community (e.g. neighbours) • Employers • Work colleagues • Healthcare practitioners	Received • Spouses • Friends • Healthcare practitioners
	Received from sources of support • Emotional • Tangible • Informational	Provided to the persons with MSI • Emotional • Tangible Received from sources of support • Emotional • Informational
Relationship development	• Quality of relationship • Changes in family roles	• Minimal changes in the quality of relationship and roles in the family
Challenges	• Loss of independence • Sense of burden • Lack of social support	• Impact on health and wellbeing • Inability to plan • Carer duties and responsibilities