Dementia Support Line
Activity ideas: Holiday memories
Activity ideas for people with dementia that draw on memories of travel and holidays.
Whether days at the seaside, package trips, family reunions or far-flung adventures, the moments and sensations we experience on holiday often stay with us as particularly happy.
They can prompt valuable conversation, reminiscence and activities as dementia progresses.
Holiday memories can also help carers to understand a person with dementia more fully – their preferences and perhaps some formative experiences.
Looking at, handling and discussing holiday souvenirs, postcards and photos can be absorbing and pleasurable in itself.
It can also help carers to understand a person with dementia more fully – their preferences and perhaps some formative experiences.
Holidaying is a great theme for many different activities
The internet is a good source of images, videos and music that could enrich this. In addition to using the usual search engines, you can find and watch archive films at BFI Player, Yorkshire Film Archive and British Pathé.
Doing a jigsaw of a seaside or other travel scene could stimulate conversation and holiday-themed reminiscence cards are also available, including in the Daily living aids section of our online shop.
Holidaying is a great theme for many different reminiscence activities.
Would someone enjoy being involved in planning, preparing and enjoying food they’ve had on holiday?
Could painting, drawing and making salt dough or papier-mâché versions of the sights they’ve seen be fun?
Are there any songs or styles of music that a person associates with holidaymaking or specific travels?
Keeping active and involved
Advice and tips for keeping active and involved after a diagnosis of dementia.