Photo Album ideas

[JohnnyK]

I am compiling a photo album for my Mum who has mid stage Alzheimers and wondered if anyone has some tips that have worked well before? My ideas are..

1) have about 40 photos
2) have one of Mum looking really happy on the front with 'Sally's story'
3) make sure the photos and large and clear
4) accompany the pics with clear words.
5) include as many as possible with Mum in the pics, i.e with her favourite dog, with her children etc.
6) make it so that if any of the pics cause her sadness we can remove and insert a new one.
7) focus on the subjects she likes to talk about and remembers now rather than, for example, pets she loved at the time but has now largely forgotten.

Does all this make sense? Any other tips?

 

[Tin]

Postcards, cards with photos of puppies and kittens, cookery cards, pictures cut out from books - all got from charity shops, even dried flowers.

 

[love.dad.but..]

I did one for Dad in a timeline way of his life and interests. As well as what you have mentioned I included family holiday photos, photos or pictures of places he and mum used to visit, photos of the street he grew up on, when he was first married etc. Photos of his working life with business colleagues, the church he used to attend mass, his football club Sunderland, Lords where he watched a lot of cricket, his club cricket team photos, a compliment slip showing his name and title at work, his dog and cat etc. Dad is now in a care home and in the advanced mental stage but I still use it as a conversation tool as conversation had dwindled, sometimes it triggers something but often now not but still helpful. All with captions so staff can also engage is the opportunity arises.

 

[TinaT]

I think a photo album/time line album is also useful if used by staff in care homes. It makes staff realise that this person had a fulfilling and useful life before dementia struck so hard and also gives staff a point of reference to talk with the resident.

xxTinaT

 

[Margi29]

I am compiling a photo album for my Mum who has mid stage Alzheimers and wondered if anyone has some tips that have worked well before? My ideas are..

1) have about 40 photos
2) have one of Mum looking really happy on the front with 'Sally's story'
3) make sure the photos and large and clear
4) accompany the pics with clear words.
5) include as many as possible with Mum in the pics, i.e with her favourite dog, with her children etc.
6) make it so that if any of the pics cause her sadness we can remove and insert a new one.
7) focus on the subjects she likes to talk about and remembers now rather than, for example, pets she loved at the time but has now largely forgotten.

Does all this make sense? Any other tips?

Hi JohnnyK

I think this idea of yours is really good and will start one for my mum. She is probably later end of middle stage and it would be an excellent way as a conversation to be started.
Wracked my brain as to what to get my mum for Xmas and decided on making my own hamper up of all the little things she loves to eat. I buy her bits each week and hope she enjoys finding them in her hamper !! If not she will give to my dog and Xmas will be messy !!

 

[rhubarbtree]

I decided against the photo album because I think they tend to crowd the pages and if they have plastic cover it makes the photos difficult to see.

I have all my photos on the PC so I selected the ones I wanted and had them printed up by one of the online people - matt and slightly bigger than normal. I bought A4 white cardboard and a bright yellow ring binder from Sainsbugs, punched holes in the card and stuck the photos down well with PVA glue. Plenty of room to write with a good thick felt tip.

Started with photos of our parents, our wedding, then other family. All the photos I could find of OH with vehicles (he loves those). A whole section of him building a workshop from scratch in the garden and a couple of him in workshop. Some of our present garden which we also built up from scratch. He does like to observe the changes. Lucky to find a couple of him at work in his last business.

Now the main work is done I can add up to date photos of the grandchildren as and when, probably getting them printed at the chemist.

I haven't found any photos make him sad but I did include one of a friend who died this year with a caption saying "Sadly missed" because he hasn't understood this friend has died and he kept saying "I haven't seen ....... for ages".

I wonder did your Mum do crafts like sewing, knitting, cake making. Any chance of finding some photos which show her achievements? If not some stock photos might help conversation.

I did include OH with the compiling, trying to keep the writing in the spirit of what he said. Making it up was an enjoyable task but I notice he doesn't look through it on his own but is happy to share with visitors.

Hope this helps.

 

[cragmaid]

Never include the originals in an album, because they cannot be reproduced if they are destroyed.

 

[Amy in the US]

JohnnyK, welcome to Talking Point. What a nice idea and I wish I could say I've done the same, but I haven't. Perhaps this will inspire me.

Definitely include NO original photos. Things go missing and you don't want to lose the one photo you have of great-aunt-whomever. If you use copies you can also enlarge things as needed.

Make sure the album or binder or whatever you use, has non-glare plastic, if it will have plastic pages or sleeves. It can make it hard for PWDs to "see" things properly.

You might want to include photos of the PWD at different ages. Don't be upset if they don't recognize a recent photo, as being them. It's not uncommon but can take you by surprise.

You are also smart to understand that you want to prompt happy memories and feelings.

Hope this project goes well for you and that you will return with an update if you get a chance. Best wishes.

 

[creativesarah]

you are welcome to have a look on my website and you will find an article there I have written to help

creativesarah.weebly.com

click on more and a drop down box will give you the option to click on Sarah's guide to making memory books

Just realised I must update the website too!!!

 

[JohnnyK]

Thanks everyone for your input, great comments and given me extra ideas. The memory book as per creative sarah is exactly how I want it you look, clear photos with friendly positive words to accompany. I was going to print off the words but they are so much better hand written. She has never had any real hobbies but does like Bing Crosby so will put in a photo of him too. I found a photo online of a church where she used to walk her dog and showed it to her yesterday and she soon started talking about the old days so will include that too. I've also been in touch with her old workplace and they have been really positive in trying to find some photos I can use. I will definitely give an update once I've given to Mum.

 

[Peirre]

There are several options available from digital photo frames to talking picture books. However not all solutions are suitable for everyone

 

[creativesarah]

Thanks everyone for your input, great comments and given me extra ideas. The memory book as per creative sarah is exactly how I want it you look, clear photos with friendly positive words to accompany. I was going to print off the words but they are so much better hand written. She has never had any real hobbies but does like Bing Crosby so will put in a photo of him too. I found a photo online of a church where she used to walk her dog and showed it to her yesterday and she soon started talking about the old days so will include that too. I've also been in touch with her old workplace and they have been really positive in trying to find some photos I can use. I will definitely give an update once I've given to Mum.

So glad that I have been able to help If you need any further info do feel free to PM me

 

[joggyb]

Thanks everyone for your input, great comments and given me extra ideas. The memory book as per creative sarah is exactly how I want it you look, clear photos with friendly positive words to accompany. I was going to print off the words but they are so much better hand written. She has never had any real hobbies but does like Bing Crosby so will put in a photo of him too. I found a photo online of a church where she used to walk her dog and showed it to her yesterday and she soon started talking about the old days so will include that too. I've also been in touch with her old workplace and they have been really positive in trying to find some photos I can use. I will definitely give an update once I've given to Mum.

For what it's worth, JohnnyK, I've just put together a couple of albums (via Sn*pf*sh) along very similar lines to those you propose - except that I took a bit of a gamble and included pictures of people (in this case, his cousins, who he used to be around a lot as a child but hasn't seen so much of in recent years) who I thought he probably wouldn't recognise. But, like you, I included pictures of things/pets from long ago that I hoped might stir up a memory for him, as well as more photos of family and friends from his early childhood through to his early married years.

It was a gamble in another way in that when we last tried doing something similar a year or so ago, he got upset at seeing pictures of his parents, and became very confused.

But he has changed/deteriorated so much since then that I thought it might be worth trying again, and the head dementia nurse at his care home agreed. We took the first album in yesterday.

He was absolutely rapt with it - and was way more coherent than he has been for months. He picked out people and named them accurately, pointed out his mum and dad, brothers, and himself without hesitation. He was thrilled to see a picture of himself with his favourite dog, and another of his first motorbike. And he loved the photos of me as a baby in his arms. And - much to my utter astonishment - he was even able to read some of the very short captions. It was amazing to watch his reaction and to hear him speak so clearly again.

So, from my experience, I would definitely encourage you to have a go. If it doesn't 'work' this time, leave it for now, and try again later down the track.

Good luck!

 

[rhubarbtree]

Joggyb.
Lovely to hear how your father enjoyed the album. I love the quality of photos and writing in these commercial albums but was daunted by trying to do a whole lifetime in one go. I did contact Photob.. and ask if they had thought of doing individual pages (obviously you would have to buy in batches) - they don't - but said would pass idea on to their creative team.

 

[JohnnyK]

I said I'd give an update on the memory/photo book but I didn't. Not sure if I'm allowed or it's appropriate but this is some video of when I gave it to her. She's in a care home now and she has it there and we use it often.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDSsJNvqYck

 

[carlton ann]

Just viewed your video on u tube, what a lasting memory for you.