The paper describes an action research project with nursing staff in three municipalities in Southern Sweden.  The purpose was to explore the social well-being of dementia patient living in care units. Data were collected as observations of the patients, registered in diaries kept by the staff. The diaries were structured in accordance with time geography principles. Further, in-depth interviews were made with the patients’ next-of-kin. Focus groups of staff were organized in the care units. Result: previous research had shown that people suffering from dementia experience well-being influenced by colours and shapes in the care environment. This project, however, indicates that patients’ well-being is in fact strongly affected by experiences from places during earlier phases of their lives. Also, emotionally charged experiences connected with certain places in their lives influence their performance of social activities, strengthen their cognition and empower people with dementia. The staff now uses the result from the research to create social wellbeing for dementia in care.