Looking Through Old Photographs
Gather photographs from the person's life — family, places, occasions or everyday moments — and sit together to look through them. The aim is not to test memory but to create an opportunity for recognition, conversation and connection.
Best Time
Mid-morning or early afternoon when the person is alert. Avoid times when they seem tired or unsettled.
Duration
15–45 minutes
Setting
Lounge, bedroom or dining table
What You'll Need
- Photographs — printed or in an album
- A comfortable place to sit together
- Time and patience
Preparation
- Ask family members to provide photographs if a personal collection is not available
- Organise photographs loosely by theme or period if helpful
- Be prepared to listen more than you speak
How to Do It
- 1Sit beside the person rather than opposite them so you can look at the photographs together
- 2Introduce the activity gently: 'I thought we could look at some photographs together'
- 3Hand photographs one at a time rather than presenting a large pile
- 4Follow the person's lead — if they want to talk, listen; if they are quiet, sit with them
- 5Use open, gentle prompts if helpful: 'Do you recognise anyone here?' or 'That looks like a lovely day'
- 6Avoid correcting or testing — if they misidentify someone, follow the feeling rather than the fact
Adapt It
- For someone with limited vision: use larger printed photographs or describe what you can see
- For someone with limited verbal communication: watch for non-verbal responses — a smile, a touch, a change in expression
- For someone who becomes distressed: gently move on to a different photograph or end the activity
- For someone with limited concentration: keep the session short and use only a few photographs
What to Notice
Observe verbal and non-verbal responses — attention, movement, conversation, recognition, relaxation, curiosity, withdrawal, choice, initiation or other individual responses.
- Does the person recognise any people, places or occasions?
- Do they reach out to touch a photograph?
- Do they become more animated or talkative with certain images?
- Do they seem comforted, curious or moved?
- Are there particular people, places or periods that seem to matter most?
PMEE Reflection
These questions are not about scoring whether the activity was successful. They are about noticing and retaining what you observed about this person's individual response.
- 1What seemed to matter to this person?
- 2What response did I notice?
- 3What could I remember and use next time?
Avoid assuming that smiling, participating or completing an activity automatically means it was meaningful. Equally, do not assume that someone who cannot actively participate has not engaged with the experience.