Table 4. Example Quotes per Subtheme.

Theme /Subtheme	Example quote
Practicalities of the classes
Duration	I don’t think I could have done a longer class. Because, um, you’re concentrating so much for that length of time. So, um, no, I don’t think I could have done a longer one. I was ready to say right can we dress now. Have a cup of tea. (03005P-I)a. Yeah. But, err…it’s, err…it’s…it’s a good… [class duration] it’s a really good… It is, because…and you don’t have to worry, you know? If…if you weren’t feeling as good as you did last week, it’s not long enough to sort of get to your mind and think, oh, I don’t feel very well. It’s one of these things, oh, well, I did it last week, I can do it this week, and that’s how it goes, you know? It’s…it’s pleasant that, you know… (03006P-I). I think after the forty-five minutes, I… especially the, the last piece, which I find a strain on my upper knees and legs, actually, it’s, erm…but I think…Yeah, but I, I think it is…long enough. (01009C-I).
Frequency	(…) I think the more you practice it the better it is. And the easier it is, you know. If you, if you’re not, if you’ve got the time to deal with it, and of course er, we, we are, we are retired and er, it’s a question that you must make time for what you want to do, mustn’t you, really? (01055P-I). 03006P-I: If somebody said you’ve got to do it four times or five times a week we might not be so happy with it, you know? But doing it once a week and just gradually improving the…the things that you perform, it’s…it gets better and better and better. 03006C-I: It does, it gets easier as the… 03006P-I: Yeah, yeah. 03006C-I: …classes go on, doesn’t it? As the weeks go on. It’s…it’s ideal, I think. But, you know, one…one a week, I don’t know, maybe it’s enough for some people, maybe two. You could have an option to go to more maybe or something like that. (03008C-I).
Socializing component	I mean, <Instructor 2> has said would you like a drink and we’ve gone no, no, no, we’re off, we’re going to do such…and so has the other couple, no, no, no, we’re going to catch a bus. So I think that you’ve…you just start off with saying that you probably will need to stay and have a drink or you need to…’cause I think it would do a lot of people some good. (01025C-I). Instructor 2 comments that he was not able to find milk today (due to the shortage after weather conditions), however, points that participants tend to leave soon after the class anyway. (Instructor 2-O). I think it…the social side was very good. Getting to know the people. <Research Assistant 1> was always there and good, making tea and being supportive. You know, and the social side was lovely. (03005C-I).
Instructors’ characteristics
Instructor 1	<Instructor 1>, she’s been very good. Very, very good. (…) …she takes time to stop and have individuals, not just a group. (03003P-I). So if she’s, sort of, saying, you know, that’s good then you can believe that at that stage, at that moment that’s good. Um, no, she is an excellent, excellent trainer and she doesn’t make you feel that you’re being totally stupid when you make a mistake. (03005P-I). Mentions that the instructor is “<Instructor 1> is lovely, isn’t it?” (03006C-O).
Instructor 2	01039P-I: (…) … he doesn’t tell you, no, don’t do it that way. He sort of is very clever because he moves it on to something else and says, well if we did this or that then, then you don’t feel like you’ve made a complete mess of it, you know. 01039C-I: He says your best interpretation, that’s what I like… <Instructor 2>is absolutely excellent. He’s so patient. It’s, I mean, obviously, as somebody just slightly younger than the, it, you kind of think, oh he’s repeating it a lot. But I think he gauges it perfectly. He, erm, he’s, he’s definitely the right sort of person to have involved, erm, in that sort of environment. And I just think it is really helpful.(01021C-I).
Participants’ reactions to…
Physical support	I think if…one of the things he quite often does wrong when you do this one and come up under your arm, he’s got his arm, hand there and if she [Instructor 1] comes and shows him it’s better because it’s all about muscle memory isn’t it. (…) …so it’s important that it’s the right memory and not the wrong one. (01002C-I). 03006P needs verbal and physical correction, and after repetition and correction he is able to do the movements right. (03006-O). 03005C approaches 03005P to correct her softly (physical support) (03005-O).
Instructors’ corrections	I thought, well what difference does it make [doing the movements in the opposite direction]. Er, if…if…if I’m going to go that way…and instead of going that way, sort of, thing, so what. I’ve still…I’ve still done the same exercise, haven’t I. (01021P-I). It’s when you’re going that way and that way and… but er, um, he makes it easier. Because he doesn’t tell you, no, don’t do it that way. He sort of is very clever because he moves it on to something else and says, well if we did this or that then, then you don’t feel like you’ve made a complete mess of it, you know. (01039P-I). 01002P-I: You are teaching us or showing us how to do it the correct way not the way you want…I want to do it, the way that it’s got to be done. 01002C: And it’s much better if <Instructor 1> tells him than if I tell him, he’ll take it from <Instructor 1> more than he will from me. He’ll take it from me at home…
Repetition	I think the more you go to the classes, the more you learn, so the more easier it becomes (…) I noticed that the, erm, especially with, like, Mum’s obviously got mobility, and memory issues. And each week, as we get in (…) as we get into the class, erm, she kind of gets the move a bit quicker than the week before. (01012C-I). (…) gradually improving the…the things that you perform, it’s…it gets better and better and better. (…) think we got to the stage now where anything is…anything you’re capable of is use…is…is useful. (Laughs). (03006P-I).
Other’s practice	You look at the other people seeing how they are doing it and you think that’s better than the way that I do it. (01002P-I). 01012C-I: …you don’t notice what the others are doing. 01012P: No. 01012C: You’re just concentrating on what you’re doing.01039C: To begin with yeah, we were probably a little bit um nervous that everybody was watching up but nobody is watching you because they’re all concentrating… 01039P: Well, but not…they’re all trying to concentrate of what we’re supposed to be doing.
Own strengths and weaknesses	As far as I’m concerned, it’s my footwork that’s a, a problem. But, erm, I’m getting there with it. (…) I love starting it and getting the first few actions (warm-ups) …but it’s when I get to the foot work, and this, erm, it’s, erm…I’ll shut myself into a silent room and practice. (…) I am trying hard to become perfect, but…not with great, great results at the moment. (01012P-I). 03008P found some of the footwork difficult last week as it is not something she has ever done before and it was her first lesson. By the end of last week’s lesson she had got a lot better. (Instructor 2-F). … when I was talking to <Instructor 2> on the phone I said it’s the footwork. I’m, I’m never quite sure whether I’ve got my feet in the right place. [chuckles] But I was just about getting the breathing. (01055C-I). “Difficulty is in putting it all together, but in general Tai Chi it not hard”, then adds that it is okay when doing arm and footwork separately. (01045P-F).
Interruption of practice	I was talking to <Instructor 1> about it this last time and I said I can’t remember it visually, but I do find that I’m automatically doing the moves that I really had learnt [before stroke]. (03005P-I). So it was a rough two or three weeks [after adverse event], but you’re a lot better. And it was nice to get back, because you actually…the first time you went, you still had your plaster on, didn’t you? (01008C-I). I think it’s going to be difficult to sort to get back in to it [after interruption due to surgery], although I think we’ll remember it pretty quickly once we do. (01055C-I).
Class barriers
Getting used to mirroring during classes	Oh, largely it’s…it’s just getting used to it [Tai Chi], isn’t it? (…) …we’re getting used to it. But it’s, er…it’s…it takes longer than you think, put it that way. (01021P-I). Instructor 1 “ Inwards and then outwards” - 03008P “ I think it’s because I’m looking at you in front” (explaining her difficulty doing the leg movements right). - Instructor 1 responds “ I’m mirroring you, so you’ll be doing the same” (O). Instructor 2 “you were right before, I’m mirroring you” – 01009P “oh, that’s right” (0).
Health issues	01021P-I: I…I have shoulder problem…which…which doesn’t…doesn’t help things, does it. 01021C-I: But, I mean, she’s [Instructor 1] told us he’s [01021P] to keep his arms down. But he’ll try and do it, ‘cause he’s such a stubborn little toe rag. He likes to do the same as everybody else. She’s had three…two arthritis operations and one cosmetic operation on her foot. (…)And she’s…not necessarily continuous pain but the pain varies considerably and it stops her doing exercises because she wants to rest it…(01022C-I). Comments he is still with this cold. Also mentions he’s got some pain on his right shoulder and will need an injection. Apparently 03005C has a medical history of lesions in arms. (03005C-F).
Class facilitators
Enjoyment	I thoroughly enjoyed doing the exercises. I enjoy going. (…) we have a bit of laugh…a bit of a laugh over things. I don’t…it’s just quite a jolly, jolly place to be. (01008P-I). Every day he’ll wake up in the morning, now what’s on today? And if I say tai chi, oh, it’s like Christmas to him. (03006C-I). I love to go to the lessons and go through the practice, but about three days later I can’t remember what they were. (Laughs). But I like the lesson, like, you know? (03006P-I).
	Mum always enjoys it, she always looks forward to going to it, and she doesn’t always enjoy going to places. Erm, you’re always bright and breezy on a Thursday, aren’t you? (01012C-I). …it gets a habit and if you wake up in the morning and you weren’t feeling up to it, you’d very likely still go. (…) …because you think it might be getting rid of what’s…what’s…in your mind in the morning. (Laughs). (03006P-I).
Doing the Tai Chi	…she’ll do the arm movements, right through the sequence. And then she’ll do the feet movement, right through the sequence. And then she’ll put them together. We prefer it when they’re both together [arm and footwork] (…) That bit I do enjoy, when we’re actually doing the Tai Chi itself. (01021C-I). 03006C and 03006P did really well today, we focused on all 3 patterns and linking them together, which they both did and they really enjoyed the lesson. (Instructor 1-F).
Ability to recall the moves	It sticks in the mind sometimes, so I can remember it. (01002P-I). Well, erm, it’s, it’s my toe work, erm, footwork that’s a problem. (…) I don’t want to give up and say, oh that’s enough, I can’t cope anymore. I will press on regardless [laughing]. Erm, I think at the present stage, if I could carry, continue for a few more weeks, I’m sure I, I can meet, meet the system, you know. (01012P-I). I didn’t find what we were doing difficult, but I…mm, there was a little bit in the middle there where I thought I…I felt that I’d done this before. (01025P-I).
Sense of commitment	…it’s in the diary…and we’ll go to the class. (…) …we’ll keep going because we’re committed to the exercise and we’ll…we’ll continue to do it. But, um, it’s a little bit boring. (01022C-I). …we didn’t want to commit if we couldn’t do the full programme. (01021C-I).

^aParticipant numbers are followed by a “P” if provided by the person living with dementia or “C” for the carer; the second letter (“I/O/F”) reflects the environment where it was collected (Interview/Observation/Feedback). Participants’ identifiers are presented before the quote and without brackets, when an extract of the conversation is presented.