Table 2 Overview of themes, categories and codes

Changes in the interaction and relationship

  Changes in communicative abilities of the resident

Resident shows no initiative, cognitive abilities vary

  Quality of the changed interaction and relationship

Relationship has improved, making a connection is not possible

  Experiences with the changes in interaction and relationship

Visit feels as long, difficult to lose connection

Strategies to promote connection

  Verbal interaction

Chatting together, family caregivers learn suitable attitudes over time

  Undertaking activities

Going outside together, preserving interests of resident

  Physical interaction

Physical interaction is essential in interaction, caregiving promotes intimacy

  Just being there

Visiting so residents ‘feel’ their presence, nursing home feels as home for family caregiver

  Contextual strategies

Visiting at ‘the right time’ of the day

Appreciation of the interaction and relationship

  Appreciation by residents living with dementia

Family caregivers cannot be replaced by healthcare professionals, resident smiles when seeing the family caregiver

  Appreciation by family caregivers

Supporting during the last life phase is fulfilling, family caregiver is happy when the resident is happy