BEYOND PHOTOGRAPHS

Next, hunt for other elements to include. Along with photos, you might bring in scans or photos of a marriage license, diploma or ephemera such as a photo of a matchbook from a long-ago favorite restaurant.

Another bit of memory research that can help: Morris says gerontologists separate “episodic memory,” meaning memories from your personal life, from “semantic memory,” which is knowledge of historical facts and news. Research suggests that semantic memories stay with people longer than personal, episodic memories.

Cuing those semantic memories of what was going on in the world during a particular era can help trigger more personal memories from that time. So if you’re creating a memory book for your grandmother about her life in the 1950s, research historical events then. Search online for news stories and photographs (the Smithsonian’s online archive is one of many sources of historical photos in the public domain).

LAYING IT ALL OUT

Once you’ve gathered all your raw material, translate your interviews and research into paragraphs that will reconnect your friend or relative with their past and accomplishments. It can be helpful to use shorter sentences and keep stories brief, especially if your loved one is beginning to have trouble following a narrative.

Then cull through the photos and paperwork you’ve gathered to find the best visuals to tell your stories. Take time laying out the paragraphs and images on the templated pages, making sure you’re not packing too much information into each page. Ideally, the memory book will delight your relative but not overwhelm them.

Finally, choose a particularly good photograph to include on the cover, then proofread your project to make sure it’s perfect before ordering printed copies.