By Penned by Me · Published and last reviewed November 4, 2026 · Editorial policy
A good memory book for someone with Alzheimer's is one they can use without being quizzed: large print, short prompts, no right or wrong answers, and pages that can stay blank. This guide lists what to look for, and what to avoid, before you buy one.
"Memory book" covers several different things: photo albums with captions, sticker-and-sleeve scrapbooks, and guided journals. They work in different ways, so it helps to know which one fits the person you have in mind.
Three kinds of memory book
- Photo album or scrapbook. Good when the person enjoys looking at pictures with someone beside them. The family does most of the work.
- Fill-in family tree or "about me" book. Useful for a quick profile, but the blanks are often small and ask for names and dates.
- Guided life story journal. The person answers short questions about their own life in their own words, at their own pace. This is the kind a large print life story journal belongs to.
What to look for
1. Print they can read without effort
Vision often changes with age. Look for question text of at least 18 point, black ink on cream or off-white paper (glare-free), and wide lines. Small grey type on glossy paper is the most common reason a journal ends up in a drawer.
2. Prompts that invite, not test
Choose questions like "What was your first home like?" over "What year did you get married?". A prompt should be answerable with a feeling, a smell or a single word. Nothing in the book should feel like an exam.
3. Permission to skip
The best books can be opened anywhere, answered in any order and left blank. A journal that has to be completed front to back turns every empty page into pressure.
4. Room for a helper
Some days holding a pen is hard. Look for pages where the person can tell a story aloud and a family member or caregiver writes it down word for word, so the voice on the page stays theirs. Penned by Me has eleven Write Together pages for this, and each records who told the story and who wrote it.
5. A format that is easy to hold
Paperback is light enough for a lap. A hardcover protects the pages and lasts as a family keepsake. The inside can be identical, so choose by how it will be used.
6. Honest claims
A journal is a keepsake and a way to spend time together. Be wary of any product that claims to treat, slow or reverse a condition. Penned by Me is not a medical or therapeutic tool, and it does not make those claims. For medical questions, talk with the person's doctor.
How to start without pressure
- Pick a calm time of day, usually the part of the day they feel most like themselves.
- Open to one page and read the question aloud. Let them decide whether to answer.
- Write down what they say exactly, even if the order is not what you expected.
- Stop when they want to stop. Ten minutes is plenty, and one word counts as an answer.
For a printable alternative that helps caregivers, see our guide to an All About Me page for dementia care. If you are choosing a present, our guide to gifts for a parent with early dementia compares options, and the large print life story journal checklist goes deeper on print size and paper.
The Alzheimer's Association offers free information and a 24/7 helpline for families at alz.org.
Questions and answers
Is a memory book the same as a life story journal?
Not exactly. A memory book often collects photos and facts for others to look at. A life story journal asks the writer to tell their own stories, in their own words.
What if they cannot write anymore?
They can still tell the story. A helper writes it down word for word, and the page keeps the speaker's own voice.
Should the questions follow a timeline?
Not necessarily. Open-ended questions that can be answered in any order feel lighter than a strict timeline of dates.
Will a journal help with the condition itself?
No. A journal is a keepsake and a shared activity. It does not treat or slow Alzheimer's or any other condition.