Having a Parent with Early-Onset Dementia: A Qualitative Study of Young Adult Children

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