Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

▪ Family caregiver:

   - takes primary responsibility for the family care of a community dwelling patient with a clinical diagnosis of dementia

   - is spouse, child (-in-law) or brother or sisters of the patient.

   - lives together with the patient

▪ In each family, at least one other family member or close friend lives in the same region of the patient and caregiver.

▪ Both caregiver and patient have sufficient language proficiency in Dutch for adequate participation in meetings, interviews and tests.

Exclusion criteria

▪ Severe somatic or psychiatric co-morbidity of either caregiver or patient, which will significantly impair cooperation to the program.

▪ Caregiver has a depression or anxiety disorder at baseline

▪ Either caregiver or patient participates in other intervention studies at inclusion or during the study which may interfere substantially with the study outcomes.

▪ The patient is scheduled to move a nursing home in short notice.