We all know our population is aging, but here are a few quick facts from the Alzheimer’s Association: 

• More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. 
• One in eight older Americans has Alzheimer's disease.

In light of these facts, it’s probably safe to say that many of you know at least one person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. And watching a loved one’s memory slowly fade away can be painful and traumatic. But there is one tool that can be a tremendous help to those suffering from memory loss: a memory photo book. Having a photo book to look at each and every day helps keep their memories alive and helps them remember the various loved ones in their lives. The book can be as simple as dedicating one page to each special person in their lives. Or it can include pictures from their childhood, their middle years or even more recent pictures of their lives. But no matter the content, looking at memory books has been shown to be both therapeutic and comforting to Alzheimer’s patients. If you know someone suffering from Alzheimer’s and would like help making them a memory book, contact me any time!

Then: 23-year-old mom. Boyfriend. 3-year-old daughter. Cancer diagnosis at 5 months pregnant. Baby delivered at 7 months. Chemo starts. Jobless. Homeless.

Now: 23-year-old mom. Boyfriend. 3-year-old daughter. 3-month-old son. Jobless. Homeless. Cancer spreading. Only weeks to live. Children may be in separate homes after her passing.

This scenario seems unimaginable and yet, it is Daveen’s reality. Nadine Medina, a friend of mine, recently shot a pro bono family session to help this suffering family and their tragic story. The photos are powerful. On the surface, they look like any other proud parents documenting their growing family. And yet, there is a deep tragedy beneath the surface. Daveen’s cancer is spreading and she’s been told she has weeks to live. This photo session will be a lifeline for her children as they grow up without her. Documented proof that their mom was once a vibrant, seemingly healthy, young woman. There is no doubt she will continue to be a loving presence throughout their lives, a guardian angel keeping watch over her babes. These photos are such a gift to her children, showing the love she was once able to physically give and will still be able to spiritually give. Her story is devastating, but a potent reminder to us of the power of photos to capture and document life’s sweet and special moments for generations to come and of how fleeting our lives can be.

To learn more about Daveen’s story, click here.

Also, please consider donating to her children’s fund here.

If you’re like me and have family and friends abroad, or even across the country, a shared site can be a great way to stay connected and keep everyone up-to-date on your family’s story. While family blogs are popular (and I follow a few), I prefer tighter control over the security of my family's personal information. I don’t want any random person in cyberspace having access to photos of my children or knowing every minute detail of our daily lives. And due to ever changing privacy rules, I am also wary of how much I share on Facebook. Not to mention, and I know it’s hard to believe, but I still know quite a few people who refuse to participate on Facebook, including my husband.

So when I became pregnant with my first baby, I knew we had to find a way to share pictures and updates with my husband’s family in Ireland that was secure. I did a lot of research and decided to create a Shutterfly Shared Site. Once created, your site can be password-protected then you can add members, so you stay in control of who has access to your information. The sites have sections for photo albums, journal entries, video postings and a calendar to name a few. Of course, I was much more diligent about journal postings with my first-born, but at least I’ve managed to keep up with photo albums and funny videos of the kids since my second child was born. If you’re looking for a more private way to share family photos and stories, then a Shutterfly Shared Site may be right for you!

Disclaimer: I have received nothing from Shutterfly for this post, I am simply a satisfied customer.