Reminiscence activities for someone with dementia: ideas to try at home or in a care home

What is reminiscence?

Alzheimer's Society describes reminiscence work as encouraging a person with dementia to talk about a period, event or subject from their past. It can be done in groups or one to one, with a professional, a friend or a family member, and it often uses prompts such as music, objects and photos, which can be general or specific to the person. The NHS lists reminiscence among the activities people can try, describing it as sharing life experiences and stories from the past with photos, objects, video and music clips.

It is closely related to life story work, which produces a lasting record such as a book. Our guide to what life story work is explains the difference. In practice, the two feed each other: a life story book is one of the easiest reminiscence prompts there is, and reminiscence conversations are where the captions for the book come from.

What does UK guidance say about reminiscence?

NICE's dementia guideline (NG97) recommends offering a range of activities to promote wellbeing that are tailored to the person's preferences (recommendation 1.4.1). It also says to consider group reminiscence therapy for people living with mild to moderate dementia (1.4.3). Formal group sessions are usually run by trained staff in care homes, day centres and community groups; the activities below are the everyday, family version.

Alzheimer's Society says many people find life story and reminiscence work enjoyable, and that these activities can be used as a prompt for conversation. It also points out that they may sometimes bring back difficult or sad memories, so it's worth going gently.

What reminiscence activities can you try?

Photos

• Look through a life story book or photo album together, one page at a time.
• Print a few photos large and label them with names and places, so anyone can join in.
• Look at photos of their home town, old shops or the local football ground from their younger days. Local history groups and libraries often share these.

Music and sound

• Make a playlist of songs from their teens and twenties, plus hymns, show tunes or the band they danced to.
• Sing together, even just a chorus. The NHS describes singing as great fun, and points to Playlist for Life, a music and dementia charity that helps families make playlists of music with personal meaning.
• Play a recording of a sound they knew well: a steam train, the shipping forecast, church bells.

Objects and touch

• Make a memory box of objects from their own life and take one item out at a time.
• Handle things linked to their work or hobbies: knitting wool, a wooden tool handle, seed packets, a cricket ball.
• Fold tea towels, match socks or sort a sewing basket together if they enjoyed household jobs, as long as it feels like a shared task rather than a test. Leave out small items such as buttons if there's any risk they could be swallowed.

Food and smell

• Bake or cook a family recipe together, even if their part is stirring, tasting or telling you how it should be done.
• Share a taste from the past: a sweet shop favourite, bread and dripping, a particular biscuit. Check any dietary needs first.
• Use gentle, familiar scents: a favourite soap, cut grass, lavender, a particular perfume.

Places and outings

• Visit somewhere they used to love, if it's practical: a park, the seafront, a church, the street they grew up on.
• If travelling isn't possible, look at the place together on a map or a street-view photo on a tablet.
• Find out about local dementia-friendly cinema screenings and memory cafés; the NHS mentions both as activities to look for.

Making something together

• Record them telling a favourite story, with their permission, for the family to keep.
• Write captions together for their life story book, in their own words.
• Make a collage of photos and pictures cut from magazines about a favourite place or hobby. Dementia UK notes that collages can be especially useful in the later stages, when someone may no longer be able to read.

How do you make reminiscence go well?

• Choose a calm time and place. Alzheimer's Society notes that communication works best in quiet, calm places with good lighting. Turn off the television first.
• Keep it short. Twenty relaxed minutes is better than an hour that ends in tiredness. Dementia UK suggests taking one topic at a time and going at the person's pace.
• Share, don't quiz. Avoid "Do you remember…?". Alzheimer's Society suggests speaking about the things you remember from the past instead of trying to jog their memory.
• Follow their lead. If the conversation wanders to a different decade, go with it. The point is enjoying time together, not getting the facts straight.
• Accept their version. If they remember a story differently, there is usually no need to correct it.
• Notice how they feel. If something brings sadness, stay with them and acknowledge the feeling. Move on gently if they want to.

Our guide to conversation starters has specific openers for each part of a life, and our life story questions go into more depth when you're gathering material.

How can a care home use reminiscence?

Many care homes run reminiscence sessions, often led by an activity coordinator. Families can help in a few simple ways:

• Give the home a life story book and a one-page "About me" profile so staff know which topics bring them joy, and which to avoid. Our guide to "About me" profiles shows how to write one.
• Bring in a few labelled objects or a playlist the staff can use when you're not there.
• Tell staff about any memories that are painful, privately, so they don't come up in a group by accident.

What if reminiscence brings back sad memories?

It can, and that isn't always a bad thing: a person may want to talk about someone they miss. Alzheimer's Society advises that the person should be supported to express their feelings, and to talk about the memory if they are comfortable doing so. Practical ways to help:

• Sit close, slow down and listen. You don't need to fix it.
• Acknowledge the feeling: "You really miss him, don't you."
• When they're ready, move gently to something comforting: a favourite song, a cup of tea, a happier photo.
• Afterwards, note which topics upset them and share that with the family and care staff.

Can you still reminisce in the later stages?

Yes, but it often becomes less about words and more about the senses. The NHS notes that in the later stages, playing music, having objects to touch and interact with, and hand massage can all help people. A familiar song, a soft blanket or a favourite scent can still bring a moment of connection. Look for small signs of enjoyment, such as a smile, humming or holding a hand, rather than conversation.

Why does a life story book help with reminiscence?

Because anyone can pick it up. A grandchild, a new care worker or a visiting neighbour can open it at any page and have something to say: "You worked at the Co-op for twenty-five years?" Short first-person captions and one large photo per page make it easy to start. If you'd like a printed one, Still Me lets the family build it together online and posts a wipe-clean book in large, clear type, with an "About me" sheet for carers.