Portsdown View in Bedhampton has launched a monthly ‘Memory Lane Café’ to help residents living with dementia reconnect with happy memories from their past. The sessions bring together residents, their families and staff to create personalised scrapbooks filled with mementos and photographs from different stages of their lives.
Rather than simply asking families to provide pictures directly, the team has encouraged residents to take an active role in selecting photographs and putting the scrapbooks together. Once complete, each book becomes a personal time capsule that residents can flip through whenever they like, while giving family members and staff a fuller picture of the lives they have led.
The project was initiated by Stacey Parkin, Portsdown View’s designated Dementia Champion, as part of her work to improve daily life for residents living with the condition. The idea reflects the importance of memory and identity in dementia care, and the need to help residents preserve a sense of continuity with their past.
Stacey Parkin, Dementia Champion at Portsdown View, said:
“One of the hardest parts of dementia care can be seeing somebody struggle to recall the people and experiences that have shaped who they are. That can be heartbreaking for the person themselves, and difficult for families as well. I wanted the Memory Lane Café to be somewhere residents can revisit those moments with their loved ones and take an active role in telling their own stories. Its amazing to see how a single photograph can bring back a flood of joyful memories”.
Dementia can affect much more than memory. According to Alzheimer’s Society, the condition can also impact a person’s sense of identity by making it harder to maintain a connection with the relationships and experiences that have shaped their lives. Reminiscence activities can help preserve that connection, encouraging people to revisit meaningful memories and celebrate their personal histories.
Research also suggests that actively involving residents in the process can bring particular benefits. A 2025 study in Australia found that a collaborative approach to ‘life-story work’ can empower older people to reflect on their experiences, build meaningful relationships and take greater ownership of their personal histories.
Separate NIHR research has suggested that people living with dementia may feel less ownership of life-story books they had little involvement in creating. With this in mind, the team at Portsdown View wanted residents to take the lead in building their own scrapbooks, with staff and families on hand to help bring their stories to life.
Pippa Mafunga, General Manager at Portsdown View, comments:
“Dementia care is at its best when we look beyond the diagnosis and remember the person in front of us. Every resident has a history, and a set of routines and relationships that make them who they are. The Memory Lane Café helps residents preserve those things in their own way. The more our team and families understand what matters to each person, the better we can respond when they struggle to tell us what they need. I am very proud of what the team has achieved.”
The project has already proved a big success, and has already created a wonderful collection of scrapbooks. The sessions have also been a vital bonding experience for residents, their families and the staff by giving everyone a chance to share stories and learn more about each other.
Portsdown View is part of the Connaught Care Collection, an award-winning provider of luxury care homes. For more information, please contact stella.austin@portsdownview.co.uk, or call 02393 882154.
