SHARE THIS SHOW:
RELATED CONVERSATIONS:
RECENTLY ON TOL:
TOL Our Town
- A tumblr site dedicated to the people and places that make up Oregon and Southwest Washington.
TAGS:
My grandmother came to visit me in Portland a few years before she died. While she was here, I did one of the smartest things I've ever done: I sat her down in front of a microphone. She was reluctant to be interviewed, but I said, "Just let me ask you a few questions." Glory Sabatier was not a shy woman and once she got going, stories just seemed to pour out of her. I coaxed her to tell me familiar tales from our family history and from her own life, but I also heard her say things I'd never heard before about her memories of becoming a mother and even her own spiritual beliefs. Now that she's gone, I treasure these recordings. I keep them on my iPod and I'm often pleasantly surprised to hear her voice when I put it on "shuffle."
It turns out that what I asked my grandmother to do that day is recognized in the field of gerontology as an important activity for older adults. It's called "life review." The journal Critical Care Nurse defines life review as "a progressive return of the memories of past experience in search of meaning and in striving for emotional resolution." The journal goes on to say how nurses can use this thereapeutic technique to increase the quality of care for patients who are at the end of their lives. Renowned geronotologist James Birren discovered that reflecting on past experiences and writing about them has a tremendous value for people whether or not they are nearing the end of their lives. He started a guided autobiography program that has continued to grow (and which he continues to be involved with, even as a nonagenarian).
Seniors aren't the only ones who can benefit from reflecting on their lives, of course. And theirs are not the only ones whose stories have value beyond the personal, as many young memoirists would be eager to tell you! But perhaps there are unique benefits to recording and listening to the reflections of older people — for them, for their families, and for society at large.
Are you a senior citizen? What memories are most important for you to pass on to your children and grandchildren? What have you learned from older people in your life?
GUESTS:
- Arnie Gagnet: Retired real estate broker
- Jennifer Sasser: Chair and associate professor of the Department of Human Sciences and coordinator of the gerontology program at Marylhurst University
- Joyce DeMonnin: Public outreach director at AARP Oregon
- Cheryl Svensson: Director of the Birren Autobiographical Studies Program
Tagged as: elderly · families · family · senior
Photo credit: Daniel Horacio Agostini / Creative Commons
-
Diary / Letters => eMail caches => Txt Msg => Personal Web Site => Web Blog => Twitter Ramblings => Mulltimedia Linked Life => Facebook => Complex Social Media Links with Hundreds/Thousands of eFriends => Immortal Avatar who lives in the eClouds who takes on all Gamers => Pimple Faced Pale Vampire Nerd in need of sunshine, fresh air and exercise.
The purpose of life is not Documentation, but to live a rich and varied experience. And to make the world a little better because of our existence. We suffer from narcisism to believe our autobiography should be better documented than Mother Theresa or MLK.
-
It is curious that one must reflect or examine life at all. Well, at least your own life, don’t you already, didn’t you already, live it? Isn’t the history your history? How separate we seem, not the mind from the body, but the mind from the mind. We go about what we do with automation, and then we must look back, or look inside, to see what’s all-up-in-there, inside your head, to make it seem more real. If you don’t already know what is in there, then who does? And, why does it matter? Even with reflection, do you ever get the real, real you? Isn’t examination always a looking backwards? An interpretation of you? Are we illusive even to ourselves? Are we repeatedly folding in on ourselves, trying to clutch and grasp in desperation, to strain out some part, some bits and bobs, that are essential to our character? That seem more real then the other parts? That seem more real then the you sitting here doing the fishing from your own pond? Who is this person doing the sifting, if not you?
Does reflection accurately take stock of things, or is it an attempt at rewriting history? Can you gain knowledge from your own history? Can you teach yourself a thing or two about yourself---and who would learn it? It is, perhaps, interesting how little time many of us spend in examination mode. Yet, we spend so much time, thinking about, criticising, and dissecting others, when we rarely run the self-cleaning cycle on our own ovens. And, where does this examination go to? Where is it placed within our folders? Does it replace the original memories? Do the original memories remain intact, and these reflections, these queries, merely serve as an index, a way of looking at, or calling up, what has happened in the past?
-
It is curious that one must reflect or examine life at all. -- scottmil — Tue March 1st 5:06p.m.
Someone much wiser than I, said long ago, "The unexamined life is not worth living." (I think it was one of the Greek Philosophers of old, Socrates or Aristotle, perhaps.)
Can you gain knowledge from your own history? Can you teach yourself a thing or two about yourself---and who would learn it? -- scottmil — Tue March 1st 5:06p.m.
I think we can learn about ourselves from looking at what we have done in the past, how we react to a certain crisis can reveal to us our character -- did we cut and run in the face of adversity, or did we stand up to the challenge and work our way through it?
-
Penny,
Oh, I totally agree with Socrates, up to a point----I am not exactly sure that any life is worth living, but that is a separate (and exciting) discussion. Also, many animals don’t examine their lives, but, their lives are possibly still worth living. And, potentially for some people an examination may be a fruitless effort, because they may not have the capacity to conduct the analysis in a sensible, or productive, fashion.
I was suggesting with my comment, that it seems odd, well, depending on your relative perspective, that the mind has to run these sorts of cycles of examination. Why doesn’t the mind do this itself, why isn’t it continuously improving or examining itself on a daily basis, why isn’t this automated and built in, why must we turn it on ‘manually?’ It feels like there are separate layers that only intersect at certain points. Processes going on on a daily basis, walking us through the haze of daily life, then we have to turn on the examination box to make sense of things? If feels odd, to have to think about yourself. Aren’t you yourself already? Don’t you know what is in there? Aren’t you fully integrated? I suppose we are in a way training ourselves. But who does this training? Who trains the trainer? Who has the sense required to conduct the analysis? Of course, on some level it is the way it is, so it isn’t exactly ‘odd’, because there is not much to compare it to, but, it does seem very different from the way we commonly think of ourselves. It sounds like a clunky process that could be streamlined and better assimilated.
-
Weaving a Chronicle, a book I wrote about my 47 years at the loom, will be published by Schiffer next sping. It is a history of early Portland opportunites for commissions via per cent legislation and the galleries and art consultants that followed that mandate. My fifty commissions hang in such diverse locations as a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship, residences in Saudi Arabia and Paris, the lobby of Inverness Jail in Portland, the Mark O. Hatfield Federal courthouse in Portland, hospitals, including Kaiser and Legacy, university and school buildings, corporations and businesses. I am is a recipient of a WESTAF/NEA Regional Fellowship for Visual Artists, an Individual Artists' Fellowship from the Oregon Art Commission and a Crafts Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. During nineteen years of teaching weaving at five colleges this is the book I wanted for my students.
Judith Poxson Fawkes
-
I have found that the GAB has been very uplifting for me and how I wish that my mom was still alive so that I could get her stories. There are so many things that I would like to ask her and know about all of the things that she left me. I would also like to know more about my father and his stories about his life; unfortunately they are both gone and I have to rely on my memory of the things that they told me and my brother over the years. I am planning to share my stories with my niece who is most interested in the family history which will also give her a better understanding of who she is. This is such a wonderful way to leave your family legacy to be passed down through the generations. THis has also inspired me to research my family geneology too.
LL
-
The thing I have learned form elders. Laugh!
-
I am currently taking a course in GAB (Guided AutoBiography) and finding it fascinating. Because it is reflective and thematic, it "guides" you into certain areas which I am certain would not of been included in a summary done alone.
Another huge benefit within the GAB method is the reading of certain portions of your writing with the others in your group. You chose what you'd like to share (or not share). The social support is wonderful. I would recommend this to anyone and I am only halfway through it!
-
Do you suppose that the StoryCorps Oral History Project (segments of which are aired on Morning Edition on Fridays) would be considered a form of Guided AutoBiography, despite the fact that it is in an audio format, rather than written?
-
Penny, Yes, I am familiar with StoryCorps and I would say it is more of a form of a Life Review. (For those that are not as familiar, look on their website for details.) In my opinion Life Review typically, is not a deep or as reflective as a 10 week course where you are writing your Autobiography by themed topics on a weekly basis. I do Life Reviews too. And at times it is the best available tool, such as in a hospice situation, or in a limited speech situation, or if someone just hates writing or possibly is unable to write or type, etc. The ultimate goal in all these various forms is to help an individual to express what they'd like to for their friends and families - regardless of methodology chosen. There are many different definitions out there.
-
I have finished writing my book, "Pathways away from the Edge, coming off age in Chaos Berlin, 1939-1972". I have experienced WW2, the Berlin Air Lift and the Berlin Wall first hand. I am reading from my book regularly at the Salem/OR library and at other institutions. The feedback and enthusiasm I receive is overwhelming. Are you interested?
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Sincerely,
Christel Jonge Vos
-
I am the director of the Attic Institute in Portland. In addition to providing creative writing workshops to over 500 writers each year, we also provide a fabulous and transformative writing experience for older citizens, as well. Our "Life Sketches" program has already worked with nearly 100 participants aged 55-over this year alone at area bookstores (Powell's, Broadway Books, Annie Blooms, and St. Johns Booksellers). And we are offering, through Central Library, another free workshop later this spring. In addition, we are offering Life Sketche class at the Institute.
Life Sketches is a profound experience for its participants. It provides them both with camaraderie and an avenue to create a legacy for themselves and their families."
For the last several weeks I built my life around Wednesday and the community I found in the Life Sketches workshop at the Attic. Each session I found pure wonder, exploring my past; and with the encouragement of my classmates, and your expert guidance, I discovered not only what really matters to me, but I how to best share it with others. I recall being younger, too busy for such things. But now at age 63 I find a need to have the time and the place to capture in writing all that has kept me so busy. It’s been a joy! Thank you. -- Jim Clay, Life Sketches participant
If you're looking for voices on the radio this morning, feel free to call me: 503.963.8783. I can clear my calendar to talk.
Good luck with the show,
David Biespiel, Director
-
How valuable is life review for someone approaching death? It is a bittersweet proposition, summing it all up to what end? Recalling all the memories that made your life worth living, so you can realize you won’t be living it anymore---might this make it harder to leave the party? What is the point of settling the score, tallying up your winnings, only to turn out the lights? What are you preparing for? Is life review a spiritual endeavor? Can it be of value to people who are not spiritual? Perhaps, it is enough that recollections (might) bring the dieing joy, but much of their value is surely for the family that will go on living. The hope memories can provide serves little purpose to someone whose hope has run out, and spreading this hope to people you love may be your last gracious gift, but it also helps to keep a part of your consciousness alive in other people.
-
"Recalling all the memories that made your life worth living, so you can realize you won’t be living it anymore---might this make it harder to leave the party?"
In a word... No. I was with my younger brother when he was dying of cancer... remembering good things and happy moments gave him something to smile about as he faced the darkness... remembering the things that weren't so good (especially between he and I) provided an opportunity for us to make amends and come to closure. It gave him peace.
-
Your guest, Mr. Gagnet, mentioned a question that until today I had always thought only I asked: Would we, individually, exist if we had different parents? I have come at this from the standpoint of my own nuclear family--I was one of six kids-- as follows: "Why, given that all six of us were born of the same parents, do I perceive the world through the eyes of the last-born rather than through the eyes of any of my brothers?" In other words, what exactly makes me, me--and any of my older sibs that person? We have roughly the same genetic makeup, yet we are separate humans.
And, in the bigger picture, why do I happen to be the person who sits at this computer in Hillsboro, Oregon rather than, say, a Japanese or Norwegian or Kenyan person? Why now rather than a century ago, for example?
When I ask even the nuclear-family version of the above inquiry of thoughtful people, including some of my brothers, I generally get the equivalent of the 1,000-yard stare. People just don't think about such a question, which at once asks them to consider genetics, philosophy, psychology, and perhaps more (some would include religion as one of the frameworks). My background includes a fair amount of science and medicine, but I have no clear answer to my own question. It is gratifying, however, to learn that at least one other individual is contemplating the same sort of inquiry.
Thanks to Mr. Gagnet for his thoughtful interview.
Anyone else out there care to take a stab at my question?
-
I read your question in essence as "Do souls exist separately from the body?"
I think it is a fun question but I also realize that just because a person can think up a question, does not mean that an answer exists for that question.
How would you test for an answer? What experiment can you think of to try and get a yes or no?
What would be acceptable evidence for an answer?
I just don't see any way to address the question in reality.
-
When my mom died the only thing that I chose to keep out of all her things was a book of photos that her mother had created by cutting up paper bags and sewing the pages together with a leather lace. That book had very old photographs of grandmothers parents and grandparents and I wanted to get relatives to identify them in each photo. I wanted those very old stories, like my grandmother had come across the Oregon trail.
When I went traveling I gave it to a sister for safekeeping and then a cousin borrowed it to copy the photos but when I asked her to return it she said she did not have it. ( Her family had a history of stealing things from others in our family).
I was heartbroken about losing that part of my family's history.
-
Wonderful topic today.
I also wanted to add encouragement to younger people to document their daily lives right now (vs. waiting until you're older). There's nothing like telling stories in the present - I would love to have stories from my parents that were actually written and documented in the moment.
-
Good point and you remind me of the old timey ideas of keeping a diary or journaling each day. Only now there are more options to do that, even twittering to oneself, I guess, and saving a copy of those tweets.
-
I think that this one of the things we lose through technology.
Before radios, tvs, and the modern stuff, people had to deal with, relate to each other, and often the kids would be around while the elders told stories of who, what, and when, absorbing those stories of family history just by being in the same home with the rest of their family.
And that would have been very effective in the days of extended families living in the same home, babies, children, parents, grandparents, unmarried brothers and sisters.
I suggest that there is a huge cost to technology, and debited from our relationships. Like Sherry Turkle says, we ought to shut it off sometimes and relate to and with each other.
Way back when, they often had to entertain themselves, gathering around the family piano, or just sing and tell stories together. I remember my family driving down the AlCan highway in the late 1950s with no radio stations at all for many hundreds of miles and we sang all kinds of old songs that our parents had learned in their youth. How many families sing together while travelling now? What have we lost?
-
I wish that I could have asked my mom about what her dreams were, and what her mother had been like as her family went through WW2 adn the Korean War.
-
I'm part of an autobiographical performance project called "No One Wants to See the Wires." We do something fairly similar, but looser in structure, to the guided autobiography talked about on the show. We are performers with various disabilities.
I think that our culture really separates out the older generations from the rest of mainstream society. For some of the same, and some different, reasons, people with disabilities are also quite separate. Our stories are often not shared because of our isolation, because people think the stories are too hard to hear, or that they won't relate to them (or will relate too much).
So we meet in our group writing workshops, share our autobiographical pieces, provide feedback on the writing and artistic quality, and then we mount a live theater production of these stories. They are often very deep, moving, difficult stories, but they are always beautiful and very artistic. Here in Portland, Impetus Arts is the production company that produces and stages the shows. Back in my hometown of Austin, TX, a similar project called "Actual Lives" worked in the group workshop to performance format. From one performance to the next, our audiences doubled.
I'm glad people no longer only look at older adults' storytelling as being stuck in the past but can recognize the importance of self-reflection and in sharing insights with future generations. In our project we hope that, in fact, people will want to take a moment to see the wires and learn more about the very human ways in which disabled members of society operate and share our self-reflections. They are quite beautiful, and in some ways, so much like anyone else's stories and desires to share their stories.
-
You wanted to put me on the air but time was up. Therefore you asked me to leave a comment.
"Living consciously", "make sense of your life", how did I get there and what can I pass on?
I finished my book, "PATHWAYS AWAY FROM THE EDGE. COMING OFF AGE IN CHAOS BERLIN, 1939-1972" from which I am reading regularly at the Salem library and at other institutions. I have experienced - FIRST HAND - WW2, the Berlin Air Lift and the Berlin Wall, before I emigrated to the US. I think I have a worthwhile contribution to make, teaching survival skills and optimism, regardless of what I have experienced in terms of bombs, fear, hunger, cold etc. I have 189 pictures added to my narrative. My book is not a history book, rather about my personal experiences during those years.
If you are interested, please contact me at 503.371.1366 or write me an e-mail.
-
As an archivist for families and individuals, and a professional videographer for 27 years, I know the value of a story. They are what define and frame our lives- and what can add so much value to the lives of others. Despite my qualifications, I never recorded my parents nor my grandparents and now they're all gone. Having a record, just their voices, would be priceless to me. This is why I have started www.storyhive.com.
-
Comments are now closed.
Timely topic... I'm in the process of putting my parent's recollections about their life on a set of DVD's... stories of what the culture was like in their Germany, their WW2 experiences as children, coming to Canada with practically nothing and living the Canadian/American dream, as much as they can remember for a lasting legacy.
In parallel I'm doing something similar myself, at times an incredibly emotional exercise...
One is sort of a running video-letter to my 3yr old. In case anything ever happens to me I want him to know who I was, how I fell for his mum, how much joy he brought into my life, how much I love him and all the practical life-advice I can give him... mistakes I made and how I should have done things better.
Second is a similar video-letter to my wife, again in case I'm gone, laced with supportive messages, remembrances of special times together, all my favorite memories of "us"... along with advice on what to do, who to listen to (and not to listen to) in order to get on with her life.