Members article
By Jane Verity © dementiacareinternational
A Memory Scrapbook is a wonderful idea; both in the creation as an activity to share with a person who has dementia and, later, to enjoy the finished product together.
A Memory Scrapbook can bring to life special areas of the person’s past interests, experiences or skills. To create a full picture, it is important to include as many different items of significance as possible: cutouts, maps, photos, bits of cloth, smaller tools, programs, invitations etc.
For example, a country woman might have enjoyed sewing exquisite items for the local show. Her scrapbook could hold pieces of material; ribbon or other items used in her creations, award certificates, and photos of both her work and the friends she made at the time.
For a man who may have been deeply involved with the fire services, his scrapbook could include badges, pictures of old fire trucks, maps of where he fought fires, newspaper cuttings, photos of his mates and so on.
The beauty of this idea is that it can be used equally successfully to elicit memories for the person by a family member, friend, volunteer or a staff member.