Telling Your Loved One’s Story: Tips for Preserving Precious Memories
Our memories and family history give us our sense of identity. Flip through any old family album and you can probably pick out where you got your looks. Your parents’ and grandparents’ stories tell you where you came from and what it took to get where you are now.
As family members age, it becomes harder to for them to remember, and pieces of our family history can become lost. But you can play a part in preserving your history for generations to come! Here are a few ways to keep your family members’ memories:
Research Your Ancestry
A genealogy website such as Ancestry.com can get you started mapping out your family history. A little digging can tell you where your family originated, and when they immigrated to the U.S. Many of these sites will save your family tree for you, as well as any existing records for each family member such as birth and death certificates and military service records.
Conduct a Life Story Interview
Set aside some time to sit with your relatives and ask about their lives. Keep questions open-ended so you can get as much detail as possible. Here are some examples to get you started:
- Can you describe your childhood home? What was your neighborhood like?
- What have your parents told you about the day you were born?
- What did you want to do when you grew up?
- What is your fondest childhood memory?
- Did you go to college? If so, where did you go and what did you study?
- Which parent are you most like, and in what way?
- What are your hobbies and interests?
- Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your 20-year-old self?
Be sure to record these answers for posterity! You can write them down, create an audio recording, or take a video that future generations can enjoy.
Create a Scrapbook
Pictures are a great way to jog the memory, and they offer some visual history. Collect old pictures and arrange them in an album. Be sure to leave space next to each to write down the year it was taken, who is in the photo, and any corresponding memories. Don’t forget to make digital scans so you always have a copy!
Get Those Family Recipes!
Grandma’s roast, Mom’s lasagna, your great aunt’s chocolate chip cookies… Family recipes are a great way to stay connected to generations past. Collect all those family favorites that have been passed down over the years and write them on recipe cards or in a recipe book.
Better yet, have an older relative write them down so you always have a copy of their handwriting.
Take Lots of Pictures (and Video!)
Keep the memories going! Whenever the family gets together, take a couple group photos. Don’t forget to take lots of candid photos, as well as video. Those will really capture the family dynamic, and bring up fond memories year after year.
Home Care Services in Central Maryland
Memory loss in elderly family members often means they forget how to, or simply cannot, do simple tasks that we take for granted. At Thrive USA, our Personal Care Coaches can assist your loved one with normal daily activities such as bathing, grooming, feeding, and transportation, allowing them to remain in their own space. Contact us today for a consultation to determine how we can help you!