Table 4.

Main themes and subthemes.

Main themes	Subthemes
Upon discovering dementia	The first symptoms The road to diagnosis The reaction to diagnosis
Keeping the family together	Assuming responsibility for sick parent Experiencing a role change Having to support the healthy parent Considering one's own life
Others do not understand	It is difficult to relate Forgetting things is the smallest problem You have to see it to believe it
Sense of relief	Choosing to share Moving away Have something meaningful to do
A need for support	Finding information Meeting others in the same situation One to one support
Apprehension for the future	Before it is too late what happens next My parent in a nursing home Two dependent parents