Having a Parent with Early-Onset Dementia: A Qualitative Study of Young Adult Children
Table 1
Example of three final subthemes of the main theme: “keeping the family together.”
Data-extract
Coded for
Subtheme
You have to look out for yourself, because there is such an enormous pressure at home, that if you are pressured at work as well, you will just collapse-P1
Must consider yourself in order to not become overburdened
Considering one’s own life
I want to be there for him, but it is not easy. He never wants to do any of the things I suggest, like going for a walk. I just find it really hard to know exactly how I am supposed to be there for him-P6
Finding it difficult to provide social support to sick parent
Assuming responsibility for the sick parent
I mostly just talk with her (healthy parent) about her thoughts and feelings. She has been very upset and cries a lot and has this need to talk. You just try the best you can, but it has not been easy knowing what to say to her, or how I should deal with it-P10
Having to provide emotional support to healthy parent while bottling up own feelings
