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Table 1 Sample frame of subunits

From: Do informal caregivers for elderly in the community use support measures? A qualitative study in five European countries

1. A necessary condition for inclusion of ICG and DEP is having the ability to carry out the interviews separately with the DEP and the ICG. So, it is important that the GP or the person who contacts the informal caregiver and his/her dependent elderly asks whether this is possible before the interview takes place.

2. Ideally, we aim to interview subunits but in some situations, it will not be possible to interview the dependent elderly. For each case study, we have to interview at least 3 subunits.

3. When it is possible to interview the subunit, it is important to have the first interview with the caregiver, in order not to burden the dependent elderly with too many questions (that we have already covered with the caregiver).

4. It is important for the GP who recruits the subunits that he/she has ‘common situations’ in mind (cases that occur often in the practice, not the exceptions) (ideally we recruit people with a variety of medical conditions but we need at least 2 people with dementia). The caregiver has taken up his/her role for at least 1 year. Common cases should include subunits receiving a lot of formal services as well as little or no services at all according to the GP. This can apply to people living in the community or in an institution (level of services refers to the situation before institutionalization).

5. In addition to this, the dependent elderly needs to be 70 years or older and not being :

o in palliative care.

o hospitalised in the past four weeks

o having an acute disease

6. We keep a mix between spouse, child caregivers (the exact number will be defined by the sampling)

7. Two dependent elderly institutionalized but less than four months (at least 1 people with dementia), Three in the community (at least 1 people with dementia).

8. Select at least two caregivers who are in paid employment.

9. At least 1 man as caregiver