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Memory.....is a diary that we all carry around with us. Oscar Wilde On a personal note... For my 50th birthday I created a journal with questions under a variety of topics and presented it to my mom. There were conversation starters and I wanted her to write her story as a gift to me. Since she enjoyed letter writing, I thought that this would be something she would enjoy doing. A year and then another year passed and she had only worked on bits and pieces, much to my surprise. One summer when she visited me in Ohio, I decided to take the back roads to Massachusetts, brought the journal, a tape recorder and lots of cassettes. While we took our time driving, I heard her share many stories I had never heard before. When we got to her apartment, we spent a little more time with the questions which created a few more stories. I felt so lucky because I didn’t have many stories about dad. Little did I suspect that mom would be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease a few years later. I treasure the memories of that trip and feel so grateful that I had created the opportunity to hear what she wanted to share when I did. Her stories are such a gift to me and my family. What would I suggest anyone consider
in order to preserve a person’s life story.
One of the
philosophies I share in my presentations is that, if someone is in the
early stages of memory loss, that is the time to get their story. If the memory loss progresses, then it is easier to cue the person when they are forgetting parts of their story. In the later stages, then it is possible to surround them with their story and tell their story for them. Please take a moment to visit Lifestyle Care Plan. In addition the sharing your preferences and values should you need to be in the care of another person, it provides a unique way to begin to record those details for future reference while sharing some interesting stories.
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