Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com
Got a favorite family story?
Now might be a good time to document the tale, interviewing family members for their take, as well as hearing other memories along the way.
The web is emerging as a powerful tool to capture such memories, with new technology to post and archive family trees.
Many boomers, in particular, are being urged to record "living histories" to preserve their own stories, as well as those of their elderly parents who are threatened by conditions such as Alzheimer's disease that could muddle reminiscences with age.
"The Alzheimer's Association just announced that one in eight baby boomers can expect to develop the disease," said Dennis Stack, founder of Project StoryKeeper, a nonprofit group that provides autobiography kits. "That means that more and more family histories... will be slipping away if we don't do something now to preserve them."
Not sure how to start the interview? The upcoming Father's Day holiday might be a good time to talk. Tongue-tied boomers interviewing parents can always default to some simple questions to get the conversation rolling. Ask about how their parents met, or what their childhood home was like. Have them tell you about their wedding day, favorite songs, favorite teacher or first job.
Multimedia
There are many ways to go about taking one's history. Families and caregivers
can utilize video and audio messaging on the Project StoryKeeper web site to
connect with elderly loved ones and those in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
Families can also gather near web cam to record, for example, the reading of a
journal relaying family news.
One ProjectStoryKeeper kit is $29, but the price gets incrementally cheaper if you buy multiple sets. And dusting off that cassette or mini-disk recorder will work just fine as a cheaper alternative.
Captured stories also can be shared online on private family web pages hosted by sites such as LifeLenz.com.
