The purpose of this study was to understand the difficulties that family caregivers experience while caring for elders with dementia and to identify the coping strategies that can be used to solve this problem. The data were collected through in-depth interviews using open-ended and descriptive questions about their coping experiences, and analyzed by content analysis after being audio-taped and transcribed. The data were collected between February, 2000 and February, 2001. The participants were 17 women, who were daughters, daughters-in-law, spouses, and sisters of the elders. Eleven coping strategies were found to reduce the burden of role, to reduce mental anguish resulting from care, and to regulate the problematic behavior of the elders. They are seeking help, ventilating emotions, converting mood, relying on religion, treating affectionately, mediating caring role, managing problematic behavior, redefining circumstances, wishing, projecting, and emptying the mind. Among them, affirmative coping strategies included 'mediating caring role,' 'seeking help,' 'redefining circumstances,' and 'treating affectionately'. In conclusion, this study showed that coping strategies used in the process of caring elders with dementia vary according to the circumstances of care. The findings of this study will provide new directions to develop tailored nursing strategies suited to the circumstances of coping.