My Experience With Sharing My Card Game With My Grandma

When I handed my grandma the deck of matching cards, I wasn’t sure how she would react. But the moment she saw pictures of her and her family, her eyes lit up. She didn’t just see random cards - she saw memories.

Throughout the entire game my Grandma became completely engaged. Each card she flipped over sparked a new conversation. A photo of her and my cousins led to stories about our previous family vacations. A photo of her and my grandpa at their anniversary brought up conversations about their wedding … years ago. I was shocked how she remembered such specific details about her life many years ago, even though she barely remembers what she did 2 minutes before. I could tell that talking about past memories was reassuring for her and something she doesn’t get to do often. 

What struck me the most wasn’t just how much she enjoyed the game, but how natural it all felt.  There were no moments of frustration, no pressure to remember perfectly. It was simply a chance to connect - to relive old memories, share laughter, and be present in the moment together, all things we don’t experience often anymore. 

Watching her that day, I realized memory loss doesn’t mean losing joy. Even as Alzheimer’s takes so much away, it can’t take away the feeling of laughter, familiarity, or the happiness of recognizing something - even if just for a second. That first game with my grandma reminded me of why I created this game in the first place: not just to help her remember, but to make sure she is always reminded of the family who loves her so much.