Understanding
What is life story work in dementia care?
In short
Life story work is the practice of recording a person's history, important people, interests and present-day preferences, usually as a book, profile, box or video, so that the people supporting them can understand who they are. In dementia care it underpins person-centred care, and families are usually the people best placed to help.
What does life story work actually mean?
Life story work means gathering and recording the things that make a person who they are: where they come from, the people and places that matter, the work they did, what they enjoy and how they like things done today. The result might be a book, a one-page profile, a memory box, a collage or a video. Dementia UK describes a life story as a record of someone's life that can support them to reminisce, reflect on what matters to them now and communicate this to others.
The word "work" can make it sound clinical, but in practice it is usually a family looking through photos with a parent, or a care worker chatting with a resident about the town they grew up in, and writing down what they learn.
Why does life story work matter in dementia care?
Because good care depends on knowing the person, and dementia can make it harder for someone to tell you about themselves. A life story fills that gap. It tells a carer that Mrs Hughes likes to be called Peggy, takes her tea milky with no sugar, worked as a seamstress and loves Doris Day. It turns "the lady in room 12" into someone with a history.
UK guidance reflects this. NICE's guideline on dementia (NG97) recommends that care providers' training for staff includes understanding the person as an individual and their life story, and suggests considering a structured tool to record a person's likes, dislikes, routines and personal history. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) lists retaining your personal history as part of dignity in care.
Alzheimer's Society describes life story and reminiscence work as enjoyable for many people and a way for carers to understand more about the person. It also notes that recalling the past can sometimes bring back difficult or sad memories, so it should always be done gently.
What life story work is not
It's worth being clear about the limits, because families are sometimes promised too much.
- It is not a treatment. A life story book won't change the course of dementia. Its value is in connection and in helping carers know the person.
- It is not a test. The aim isn't to make someone remember. Pages are prompts for conversation, and it's fine if a story comes out differently each time.
- It is not a one-off. People change, and so do their routines and the people around them. A life story is most useful when it's kept up to date.
What is the difference between life story work and reminiscence?
They overlap, but they're not the same.
| Life story work | Reminiscence | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | One person's whole life and who they are now | Talking about the past, often a shared era or theme |
| Result | A lasting record: book, profile, box or video | Usually the conversation itself |
| Setting | Family, carers, care home staff | One-to-one or groups, often with prompts like music and objects |
| Main use | Helping others know and support the person | Enjoyable conversation and connection |
NICE's guideline mentions group reminiscence therapy as something to consider for people living with mild to moderate dementia. A life story book is a natural prompt for reminiscence, but it is also a reference for anyone supporting the person.
Who does life story work?
- Families usually hold the photos and the stories, and are best placed to start. Children, grandchildren, siblings and old friends each know a different chapter.
- The person themselves, as much as they want to. Dementia UK advises always being led by the person with dementia and, where possible, using their own words for captions.
- Care staff, especially activity coordinators in care homes, often gather life histories when someone moves in and add to them over time.
- Volunteers run life story projects in some areas, visiting people to record their memories and producing a book.
What forms can a life story take?
Choose the format that suits the person and how it will be used. Many families combine two or three.
- A book is portable and easy for carers to pick up. It can travel to hospital or a new care home.
- A one-page profile summarises the essentials for staff in a hurry. Alzheimer's Society's free "This is me" leaflet is a well-known example; our guide to "About me" profiles explains what to include.
- A memory box of objects, fabrics and souvenirs can suit people who connect more through touch and smell.
- A collage or memory board works well when reading has become difficult.
- Video or audio captures voices and music, and lets relatives far away take part.
How can a family get started?
Start small and practical.
- Talk to your relative about the idea, and to the care home or day centre if they're involved. They may already have a form to fill in.
- Gather a handful of photos for the most important chapters: family, work, home, the things they love.
- Use a list of life story questions to collect a few stories, one chapter at a time.
- Write short captions in their voice, and make the "life now" pages first: these are the ones carers need soonest.
- Share it with the people who support them, and keep adding to it.
Our step-by-step guide on how to make a life story book covers layout and printing, and our free template gives you pages to fill in by hand.
What about consent and privacy?
A life story is personal, and it is about someone who may not be able to say what they're comfortable sharing. A few principles help:
- Involve the person and respect their wishes about what goes in and who sees it.
- Include only what they would be comfortable with carers and visitors knowing. Dementia UK suggests sad or traumatic events may be better kept in a separate document for professionals.
- Ask relatives before including photos of them, especially photos of children.
- Keep medical details out of the book. A life story is about a life, not a diagnosis.
Key takeaways
- Life story work records who a person is: their history, people, interests and preferences today.
- NICE guidance links staff training on person-centred care to understanding a person's life story.
- It is a way to know and connect with the person, not a treatment or a memory test.
- Families hold most of the material; the person should lead wherever they can.
- Books, one-page profiles, memory boxes and videos all count, and work well together.
- Keep it current, and keep medical details out.
Common questions
Is life story work evidence based?
It is widely recommended as part of person-centred dementia care, and NICE guidance refers to understanding a person's life story in staff training. Claims that it improves memory or slows dementia go beyond the evidence, so we don't make them. Its clearest value is helping others know and connect with the person.
When is the best time to start a life story?
As early as possible, while the person can take part and choose what goes in. Alzheimer's Society notes that recording this information early can help carers later, when the person may find it harder to communicate. But it is never too late: families can build a life story at any stage.
Do care homes do life story work?
Many do, often led by an activity coordinator, and many ask families for a life history when someone moves in. A family-made book or profile gives staff a head start and can sit alongside the home's own records.
Sources
- NICE: Dementia: assessment, management and support for people living with dementia and their carers (NG97)
- SCIE: Involvement and inclusion: promoting dignity in care
- Dementia UK: Creating a life story for a person with dementia
- Alzheimer's Society: Therapy and approaches for memory loss support
- Alzheimer's Society: Treatment and support of Alzheimer's disease
- Alzheimer's Society: This is me
We link to these organisations for information; they haven't reviewed or endorsed this guide or Still Me. Read our editorial standards.