Background: Dementia is a disease that is increasing worldwide, including Sweden, as the age of the population increases. With the disease that in many cases deteriorates gradually, the situation of relatives acting as caretakers becomes a burden. This can be demanding both physically and mentally and cause suffering for both the patient and the relative. As a caretaker, it is easy to forget about their own health as they mainly focus on the person with dementia.

Aim: The aim of this study was to illuminate the relative's experiences of living with a person with dementia.

Method: A literature study was made based on systematic searches which were conducted in Cinahl and PsycArticles where ten qualitative articles were found. The articles were analysed according to Friberg's five-model step.

Results: The three themes that emerged were, The relatives need of support and information which showed that the relative's felt that supporting resources were important, A changed relation where it emerged that the relative's entered new roles to adapt to the situation as caretakers, and Thoughts and feelings of the relatives, the last theme showed that the relative's experienced a great loneliness.

Conclusion: Relatives who lived with and care for a person with dementia often felt overlooked and experienced feelings of loneliness, anxiety and worries for the future. The result showed that the relatives needed more support and knowledge of dementia. In many cases, this could make them feel better mentally.