Top Tips:
Try to select items which stimulate different senses e.g. touch, smell, sight, sound and taste.
o Avoid items which smell of food which aren’t edible, as someone diagnosed with dementia may try
to eat this e.g. soap.
o Touch is a powerful sense so consider the textures of objects. Avoid items which are hard to grip.
Consider how safe an item is. Try to avoid sharp or heavy objects.
Focus on items which are linked to positive memories.
Consider the uniqueness of an item. If it is irreplaceable, leave it out.
Images can become worn with use. Consider photocopying and laminating it to protect it.
Labeling items will help the person diagnosed with dementia to recognise the item and its significance. An
alternative to labeling would be creating a contents list for the memory box with a description next to each
item.
If you have a lot of items don’t try to fit them into one box. Instead you could produce memory boxes on
different themes. For example you could create a box about the person’s hobbies and another one about
their children.