Record what you learn and use that book, timeline, recording, video, etc.Break down your questions into particular areas of interest: How did your family member say goodbye to loved ones during the war' What do they remember about seeing their family for the first time when they came home' Where did that take place' Where were they when they first heard the war was over' How did they feel'.Respect the individual's right to privacy and need for confidentiality. Be sensitive to the emotional context of what is being shared and provide encouragement and reassurance. Ask questions that center around the person's areas of interest and life experiences.Shared experiences often help others remember their own memories. If possible, ask others to join you who may have shared the memories or similar memories during that era.Use photos, historical photography books, objects, or mementos to stir memories. Ask open-ended questions that help the person remember their stories and experiences.The following tips provide a general starting place for reminiscing with elderly: someone is assigned to record shared memories.participants are instructed to be comfortable with pauses and silences.to provide objects or props to stimulate conversation.everyone has equal opportunity to contribute.And when we do it collaboratively, it helps create community and broaden our understanding.įirst of all, reminiscing is often successful as a group activity of five or six people. Reflecting can even help us cope with change and adapt to new environments. It helps us understand our past and create significance for our present and future.It promotes understanding and connection among individuals and families.Reminiscing serves a number of important purposes: Reminiscing can be an especially useful activity for those who are committed to collecting and preserving family stories. Because reminiscing helps us learn, it also helps us adapt to change.Īnd reminiscing can also be a useful tool in helping us develop genealogies by drawing meaningful stories from our family members. Reminiscing is normal - for teenagers looking back with embarrassment on childhood memories or older adults reflecting on their past. When we reminisce, we draw meaning from the past that tells us who we used to be and who we are today. Reminiscing tells us where we fit into the master narrative of life and what our existence means. Our memories show us who we are and bring shape, focus, and purpose to our lives. The events in our past are the key that provides significance for our present and future. One sentence and fact gave me a new understanding of my dad - a World War II hero who I suddenly saw with new eyes. The man who was a wizard with numbers and sequences, who had a passion for detail and who could see patterns from the inside-out had served as an intelligence officer. With one flash of disclosure, my vision of my father shifted. My unit lived in the petite écurie, or small stable. I was an intelligence officer serving with General Eisenhower during World War II. Dad was, after all, eighty-two, with a touch of dementia. I didn't know whether or not to believe him. But his eyes flickered to one picture, and he leaned forward and pulled the photo toward him as he spoke. My father, apparently disinterested, sat quietly as I talked my way through them. A few years back, I returned from a trip to France with a stack of the typical tourist photos.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |