Help a Senior Loved One Create a Memoir

Looking for a meaningful activity to share with your parents or other older relatives this summer? How about helping them create a memoir? Reminiscing offers a great deal of emotional satisfaction and enhanced sense of purpose in life for many older adults.

You can work with your loved one on this project in person, or from afar if necessary. Put on your reporter hat and help them brainstorm! Recruit younger family members to join the project, as well — they might have innovative ideas for an audio or multimedia format.

Check out this infographic for some inspiration.

Does your loved one have memory loss? Older memories are often retained even as a person has trouble recalling recent events. Ask open-ended questions, then take notes as you listen. This “life story work” has been found to be emotionally rewarding for many with dementia.