Life can get hectic, and the daily grind of work, errands, and chores can dominate our time. It is amazing how after decades of being around our loved ones, we often know very little about their life prior to being parents or grandparents. Of course, we know some details, but it is a rare family that has in-depth discussions about the past. Senior citizens have a lifetime of experiences, stories, adventures, and achievements that their grandchildren rarely know about. In this article, we talk about making 2023 the year that you document your loved ones’ life stories to pass down.
While eventually you may write everything down, one of the easiest ways to collect and document the many life stories of your loved ones is over video. These days, a phone or tablet can easily record their answers, and video editing software can help you to piece together a mini-documentary of their life. Here are some questions you can ask to preserve some precious memories.
Questions to Ask for Life Stories
The wonderful thing about asking questions is that the process often leads to storytelling – and family members may earn things they never knew before.
Childhood Information
- Where were you born? Did you live in the city or the country?
- How many brothers and sisters do you have? What was your childhood like?
- What were your parents’ names? Where did they grow up?
- What do you remember about your home?
- How has education changed since you went to school? What were your favorite subjects?
- Did you have any pets? What were their names?
- Who was your best friend growing up? Did you stay in touch?
- Did you ever have a nickname? Why did people call you that?
- What were your hobbies when you were a teenager? Did you play any instruments?
Marriage and Adulthood
- How did you meet your husband/wife? How old were you when you got married?
- How long were you married?
- What types of jobs have you had?
- Have you done any traveling? Where were your favorite destinations?
Personal Preferences
- What are three of your favorite things?
- What is your favorite food? Do you have any favorite recipes?
- Did you play any sports? What are your favorite sports teams?
- What type of music did you listen to? What were the popular songs when you were growing up?
Meaningful Life
- What major world events happened during your lifetime?
- What major technological advances happened in your lifetime? What didn’t you have that is commonplace today?
- Who were the most influential people in your life?
- What are you most proud of?
- What do you still want to accomplish?
Taking a video is a great option for documenting their stories, especially because it can be in a conversational manner that is comfortable for seniors. There are other methods for capturing these memories, however.
Writing it Down: Transcribing your loved one’s stories can now be done automatically with technology, but sometimes old-fashioned ways (such as journaling) are best. There are also online sites that allow seniors to answer questions on a website, and will create a hard copy book at the end of the project. Whatever method you choose to document life stories, having the memories in written form is sure to be prized for generations.
Make a Scrapbook: Another clever way to document the life stories of your loved ones is by making a scrapbook. Go through their photographs with them, and ask for the stories behind each of the photos. Scrapbook the photos and backstories chronologically to create a pictorial autobiography of sorts to pass down through generations.
Whatever you do to document your loved one’s life, your effort will let them know that their story is interesting and important and should be told.
A Banyan Residence is dedicated to providing the opportunity for seniors to continue creating memories. Call today to learn more about our Venice assisted living and memory care facility.
