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Aim: The aim of this study was to highlight the informal caregiver role taken on when family members develop dementia. Improved knowledge of informal caregivers’ situations and their roles as caregivers to family members can contribute significantly back to the caregivers and to their loved ones, in addition to health care providers. Research question. How do informal caregivers experience their roles to family members who develop dementia and live at home? Methods: The study adopted a qualitative approach whose data collection consisted of individual interviews. The sample consists of two datasets. The first set involved seven interviews with informal caregivers including spouses and daughters. The second set consisted of interviews with five adult daughters. The material transcribed from the two datasets were analyzed separately through systematic text condensation described by Malterud. Results: Four categories emerged: 1) Burdens and strains, 2) Satisfaction, 3) Family challenges, and 4) Good and bad experiences with Health Care Providers. Relational factors were of great importance, both in relation to their entire families and to health care professionals. The need for clarification of roles between caregivers and the professionals was emphasized. The caregivers were unwilling to abandon their responsibilities despite being entirely exhausted. Conclusion: The caregivers experienced demanding challenges when their nearest developed dementia. With a partnership perspective as a base, a concretization and clarification of the caregiver role could be present.

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