Table 1 Characteristics of qualitative interview participants and co-design group members

STAGE 1: QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS

Family carers of people living with dementia (n = 14)

Age (years)^a

62.5 (14.4)

Identifying gender (Female: Male)^b

11 (78.6): 3 (21.4)

Country of residence (Australia)^b

14 (100)

In employment (Yes: No)^b

4 (28.6): 10 (71.4)

Relationship to care recipient (Partner: Offspring)^b

7 (50): 7 (50)

Length of time caring for care recipient (years)^a

6.5 (2.9)

Age of care recipient (years)^a

78.6 (10.4)

Identifying gender of care recipient (Female: Male)^b

9 (64.3): 5 (35.7)

Care recipient’s type of dementia^b

Alzheimer’s disease

7 (50)

Unspecified

4 (28.6)

Frontotemporal

1 (7.1)

Lewy-body

1 (7.1)

Vascular

1 (7.1)

Professional stakeholders (n = 14)

Academic clinicians with expertise in ageing & dementia (n = 5)

Identifying gender (Female: Male)^b

4 (80): 1 (20)

Country of residence (Australia)^b

5 (100)

Role^b

Clinical psychologist

1 (20)

Mental health nurse

1 (20)

Occupational therapist

1 (20)

Old age psychiatrist

1 (20)

Social gerontologist

1 (20)

Academic clinicians with expertise in compassion (n = 4)

Identifying gender (Female: Male)^b

2 (50): 2 (50)

Country of residence (Australia: UK)^b

1 (25): 3 (75)

Role^b

Clinical psychologist

3 (75)

Counsellor

1 (25)

Carer support professionals (n = 5)

Identifying gender (Female: Male)^b

4 (80): 1 (20)

Country of residence (Australia)^b

5 (100)

Role^b

Counsellor

2 (40)

Senior management (education, training, & improvement)

2 (40)

Educator

1 (20)

STAGE 2: CO-DESIGN GROUP

Family carers of people living with dementia (n = 6)

Age (years)^a

61 (8.0)

Identifying gender (Female: Male)^b

5 (83.3): 1 (16.7)

Country of residence (Australia)^b

6 (100)

In employment (Yes: No)^b

3 (50): 3 (50)

Relationship to care recipient (Partner: Offspring)^b

1 (16.7): 5 (83.3)

Length of time caring for care recipient (years)^a

5.8 (2.8)

Age of care recipient (years)^a

86 (9.2)

Identifying gender of care recipient (Female: Male)^b

4 (66.7): 2 (33.3)

Care recipient’s type of dementia (Alzheimer’s disease: Mixed)^b

4 (66.7): 2 (33.3)