About Photo Match Fun
A personal photo matching game to support people living with dementia
Combining familiar faces, gentle cognitive challenge, and social connection through research-backed approaches in dementia care
What It Is
A simple card game made from real photos of family and friends
Who It's For
Families and care teams who want an easy, enjoyable activity for people with dementia
Why It Helps
Draws on research in dementia care, reminiscence therapy, and game-based interventions
How the Game Works
Each card shows a real person—partner, children, grandchildren, close friends, or caregivers. Players use the cards in simple matching and recognition games, finding pairs.
The goal is not to "test" memory, but to invite recognition, conversation, and shared moments.
Why Familiar Faces Matter
Faces are the main way we recognize the people we love. Even when other abilities are affected by dementia, the emotional response to a familiar face can remain surprisingly strong.
Dementia Care Research Uses Personal Photos In Several Ways:
- Reminiscence Therapy:
Encourages people to talk about past experiences using prompts like old photos, music, or familiar objects. Meta-analyses show this can improve cognitive function and reduce depressive symptoms.
- Life Story Work:
Supports identity and self-esteem, improves communication with family and staff, and enhances quality of life for people with mild to moderate dementia.
Photo Match Fun builds directly on these approaches in a form that families can use at home or in care settings—turning personal photos into a playful, repeatable activity.
How the Game May Help
1. Gentle Cognitive Stimulation
Research consistently supports cognitive stimulation as a non-drug intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia. Large randomized controlled trials show improvements in thinking, memory, and quality of life.
Photo Match Fun supports cognition by:
- Using recognition (seeing a familiar face) rather than heavy recall
- Encouraging attention and visual scanning
- Practicing associations between faces, names, and relationships
- Allowing difficulty to be gently adjusted
2. Emotional Wellbeing & Identity
Personal photos can spark warm memories, positive emotions, and a sense of "this is my life, these are my people." They offer opportunities to talk about past roles, achievements, and stories.
Research shows:
- Reductions in depressive symptoms
- Better mood and engagement during sessions
- Stronger sense of identity and more person-centered care
3. Social Connection & Family Inclusion
Photo Match Fun is designed to be played together. It gives families and care teams a structured but playful reason to sit together and talk.
Benefits include:
- Easy way for younger relatives to interact with older family members
- Can be used in small groups in day centers or care homes
- Increases verbal fluency and participation
- Supports social connectedness and reduces loneliness
Who the Game Is Designed For
People with Mild to Moderate Dementia
- Able to recognize some family members and close friends
- Enjoy conversation, photos, and light games
Most evidence for cognitive stimulation and reminiscence therapy comes from people in this stage
People with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
- May not have dementia, but experience memory or thinking difficulties
- Benefit from cognitively stimulating leisure activities
Later-Stage Dementia (Adapted Use)
For people in more advanced stages, the game can still be adapted:
- Use very few cards at a time, focused on the most significant people
- Shift from "finding matches" to simply looking at and talking about photos
- Watch for signs of distress and skip photos that trigger difficult emotions
Want to Learn More?
Photo Match Fun follows dementia-friendly design principles informed by extensive research in game-based interventions and cognitive health.
View Full Research & Design PrinciplesReady to Get Started?
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