The pages families use at home
| Page | What is on it | Where families keep it |
|---|---|---|
| Large-print daily schedule | The parts of the day in order, with a picture and a few words for each | The kitchen wall, or beside a favorite chair |
| Conversation cards | One open question that invites a story | The coffee table, ready for a visit |
| Activity ideas | Everyday things to do together, with a box to check the ones that went well | The fridge, for whoever is on duty |
| Picture labels | One picture and one word for a door, a cupboard or a drawer | On the door or cupboard itself, at eye level |
| Memory book pages | Spaces for family photos, with a line or two of large print under each | A binder on the side table |
We have free printables for the first three: a large-print Today page, 12 conversation cards and a list of everyday activity ideas.
How these pages are made
- Large type, black on white. Labels are big enough to read from across a table.
- Few words. One idea on each card or line.
- Grown-up pictures. Real-life objects and places, never cartoons.
- White space. Nothing decorative competes with the words.
People living with dementia who helped write the DEEP guide to printed information asked for the same things: writing for an adult audience, bigger type, pictures beside the words and plenty of white space (see Sources).
How to print and set up a page
- Print at "Actual size" on white or cream cardstock. US Letter and A4 both work.
- Laminate it or slide it into a heavy sheet protector, so it can be wiped. Matte pouches shine less under a lamp.
- Put it where the person already looks: at eye level, in good light, away from a busy background.
- Show one day or one topic at a time. Put the rest away until they are needed.
- Use it together. Point to the picture as you say the words, and leave time for an answer.
For the records a family caregiver keeps, such as a medication list and a blood pressure log, see our printable forms for family caregivers.
What these pages are not
They are everyday tools for home, and they are not medical advice. Questions about memory changes, medicines or safety belong with the person's own doctor or care team.
Guides and free printables
Guide
Dementia activities at homeEveryday things to do together, how to set them up, and what to do when the answer is no.
Free printable
Free large-print conversation cards12 large-print cards with open questions about childhood, work, music, food and more, each with a follow-up.
Guide
A daily routine on a large-print schedulePutting the day on one large-print page: what goes on it, how to word it and where to hang it.
Frequently asked questions
What printables help at home with someone living with dementia?
Families most often use a large-print daily schedule, conversation cards for visits, picture labels on doors and cupboards, and memory book pages with family photos. Each one is a printed page you use together, in plain words and large print.
What size print is large print?
The American Council of the Blind's large print guidelines set 18 point as the base size. The questions on our conversation cards are 24 point, and the words on our Today page are 26 point.
Should the pages use photos or drawings?
Both work. The DEEP guide, written with people living with dementia, says photographs are often preferable to drawings, so many families glue their own photos onto blank cards. Our printed pictures are plain, grown-up drawings of everyday things.
Are these pages for someone in a care home too?
Yes. A family can put the same pages up in their relative's room in a care home. Ask the staff where a schedule or label should go, so everyone uses it the same way.
Sources
We opened and checked every link on October 4, 2026.
- Communication and Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Association. Give visual cues; written notes can be helpful when spoken words seem confusing.
- Writing dementia-friendly information (PDF), DEEP (the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project). Written with people living with dementia: an adult audience without talking down, bigger type, an uncluttered font, pictures alongside text, white space.
- How to make your home dementia friendly, NHS (UK). Clear signs with words and a picture that contrast with the background, placed slightly lower than normal; reduce glare.
- Large Print Guidelines, American Council of the Blind. 18 point as the base for large print; a matte or dull paper finish to reduce glare.
An educational support tool. Not a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed speech-language pathologist or physician. Read the full disclaimer.