This article examined how images, understandings, and actions change for family members of persons with dementia after the introduction of a research-based drama called I'm Still Here. Guided by interpretivist phenomenology, a set of seven pre- and post-performance focus groups were conducted with family members (n = 48) in four cities. Findings suggest three major phenomenological shifts occurred for family members and highlight the potential of research-based drama in engaging, awakening, and expanding understandings of dementia. Key Words: dementia, family care partners, pheonomenology, research-based drama. Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) remain the second most feared group of illnesses among Canadians (Alzheimer Society of Canada, 2009), largely due to the stigma and misunderstanding associated with illnesses that affect cognition and mental health (Kahana et al., 1996). The stigma, fear, and misunderstanding that surround ADRD have far-reaching negative implications for persons with dementia and their families, affecting how persons with dementia perceive themselves, how they are perceived and judged by others, and the choices and opportunities made available to them (Grant, 1996; Maguire et al., 1996). Research-based dramas are one means of confronting stigma and bringing oppression to light (Barone, 2008; Kontos & Naglie, 2006, 2007). They make research more tangible and accessible and provide a medium for revealing the multiple lived experiences and perspectives of those who are labeled, hidden, ignored, or misunderstood (Richardson, 2000). Research-based dramas show promise in reducing stigma while enhancing the understanding of alternative possibilities and approaches to care (Mitchell, Jonas-Simpson, & Ivonoffski, 2006). Nonetheless, there is a gap in research reporting audiences' experiences when engaging with research-based drama and the immediate and longer term impacts of these dramas on audience members. This article reports findings from Phase 1 of a larger, longitudinal study that examined the experiences and impacts of engaging with a research-based drama, called I'm Still Here. Specifically, we were interested in examining how engaging with the drama might change images and understandings of dementia and actions in dementia care for both professionals and family partners in care. Guided by the following research questions, this article focuses on the immediate experiences of the drama for family carers: (a) What images of dementia are described before and after viewing a performance of I'm Still Here, (b) what words do family members use to describe what it is like to live with dementia before and after viewing I'm Still Here, (c) what meanings do persons give to their experience of engaging with I'm Still Here, (d) what possible consequences do people identify from their viewing the play, and (e) how are images, understandings, and actions changed after engaging with I'm Still Here! THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF DEMENTIA Individual perceptions and understandings of dementia are complex, shaped by broader social perceptions, understandings, and actions that are personally, culturally, and historically embedded (Belgrave, Allen-Kelsey, Smith, & Flores, 2004; Harding & Palfrey, 1997; Neary & Mahoney, 2005). Different populations and even different individuals within a culture may perceive dementia in varying ways. For example, some families within specific cultural groups view dementia from a folk model of illness, believing the disease to be a result of witchcraft, curses, or spells (Alzheimer Australia Vic, 2008; Belgrave et al.; Neary & Mahoney). Other cultures view memory loss as a natural part of aging (Olson, 1999). Although the latter view serves to normalize the experience of memory loss, it is problematic for persons with dementia because necessary medical care and supports may not be sought out or provided (Adams, Aranda, Kemp, & Takagi, 2002). …