This Dementia Action Week (19 – 25 May 2025), we’ve launched a nationwide initiative to spark conversation and rekindle memories for those affected by dementia.
We’ve created 1,000 memory boxes, which we’re distributing across the country to care homes and communities.
Boots has a long-standing history of supporting those living with dementia, and we have a unique experience of being part of health and beauty in the home for more than 175 years, being a part of people’s lives through generations.
The boxes have been created following research from Professor Victoria Tischler, that for many people with dementia, handling familiar objects that combine distinctive smells and attractive designs can provide wellbeing benefits including enhanced mood, social inclusion and memory retrieval. Simple prompts like familiar smells from a person’s past can stimulate recall and bring people into the present moment.
We’ve created some guidance here for anyone who would like to create a memory box at home and spark memories and conversations with loved ones.
Creating your own memory box
The Boots Memory Boxes are filled with items carefully selected by the team at the Boots Archive and include familiar smells and sounds to trigger memories. These include items like soap, face cream, cough medicine or bath salts can help them remember times they looked after themselves or others.
We’d absolutely encourage others to create their own memory boxes at home. They’re very easy to create using common items from the home, which you might not have considered, but would feel familiar to someone with dementia – what’s great about creating boxes at home too is that you can tailor them to the person and items significant to their past.
Boots Company Archivist, Sophie Clapp
When creating your box at home, think about interesting or unusual objects, smells, textures and shapes which can encourage curiosity and engagement. A variety of items allows people to interact with the material in different ways.
Possible items to include could be:
- Items to try on – a hat, gloves, a tie, a headscarf
- Items to smell – soap, perfume, scented candle, herbs and spices, aromatherapy scents
- Items to touch – items that can be explored/opened/closed or have interesting or contrasting textures, such as old tins or packaging, brushes, sponges, pre-digital cameras
- Items to look at – photographs, packaging, magazines, advertising – Boots Archives has a range of visual material which can be freely accessed - http://archives.walgreensbootsalliance.com/
- You could personalise your images to include local stores and high street where you live now, or from the past, brands and advertising from a particular era, favourite everyday products
- Items to taste – drinks (hot and cold), textured foods, foods with different tastes - salty, sweet, sour and bitter.
Objects, images and items can be used to represent a range of familiar, everyday activities, such as cooking, shopping or gardening. They can also be grouped together to create themes related to key memorable moments or life stages, such as holidays, parenthood, working life and childhood.
Household items can be just as effective as vintage material, if they are included with objects that offer a range of sensory stimulation. You can also incorporate more familiar items too, such as favourite perfumes, a hairbrush or photographs.
Boots Company Archivist, Sophie Clapp and Professor Victoria Tischler, Professor of Behavioural Science, University of Surrey, discuss how memory boxes can help simulate conversation among those with Dementia
Using Sensory Qualities
Memory boxes can help simulate the senses, with a particular focus on sight, touch and smell.
Their purpose is to offer a multi-sensory experience, as for many people with dementia, handling familiar objects that combine distinctive smells and attractive designs can provide wellbeing benefits. Simple prompts like familiar smells from a person’s past can stimulate recall and bring people into the present moment.
For example, smell is a powerful way of accessing memories from the past, and of improving mood. This is because the parts of the brain responsible for memory and emotion connect directly to the pathways through which we smell.
How could you use a memory box to connect with someone with dementia?
Top tips from Professor Victoria Tischler, Professor of Behavioural Science, University of Surrey:
- Set aside an hour in a quiet, well-ventilated room
- Assemble 6-8 items, you can choose a theme like 'Christmas' or 'Going Out' to provide a theme. You can lay these on a table so people can indicate to ones they'd like to explore
- Introduce activity by saying that you are going to explore some interesting items together
- Introduce items one by one. Allow time for objects to be handled, explored, and smelt. Some things can be tried on- like hats, scarves and sunglasses. Fragrance can be sprayed onto a scarf before handling to enhance multi-sensory stimulation.
- Allow people time to respond. Try to be led by the person exploring the object; respond to what they say and do, start a conversation about the item. It is important that they don't feel like it is a test or a guessing game, so they don't feel pressure to correctly identify things.
- Continue until you've explored all items. If any items aren't of interest, simply move onto the next one.