The power of telling family stories cannot be disputed. In fact, seniors are undeniably the best at sharing rich family holiday stories. Often, seniors are treasures to most families because they have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Holiday stories from seniors offer an excellent way for them to open up about the past. It also allows their loved ones to capture memories, understand the family lineage, and strengthen the bond between family members.
Seniors who create a storytelling connection with their children often appreciate how far they've come. While capturing the stories of a senior loved one can be a rewarding activity for all generations, seniors get to benefit more because it helps:
- To strengthen memories
- Build confidence
- Gives a sense of purpose
- Improve emotional intelligence
- Relieve stress
- It's a form of therapy for seniors with dementia
In fact, there is no better way to enjoy the holiday season than to capture and appreciate interesting holiday stories from senior relatives. Here are ways to record holiday stories.
Skype
Although nothing can replace being with a loved one in person, it's still possible to stay connected with them through Skype. Once long-distance relatives are connected with their loved ones, they can join in for a storytelling session. Even better, Skype participants can record up to 24 hours of their call and access the recording in their chat history.
Video
Video recording is an excellent way to preserve good memories shared with seniors. Through videos, one can capture seniors' voices, gestures, as well as facial expressions. The good thing is one does not have to be a professional videographer or an award-winning filmmaker to capture a senior loved one. With a smartphone and a tripod, one can capture lifelong memories.
Pro tip: Using a landscape orientation helps prevent leaving space on both sides of the frame.
Audio
Audio recording is also a great alternative to videotaping when recording holiday stories from seniors. It captures the exact telling of a senior's story and allows replaying and sharing with other family members that may take an interest regardless of how far they might be.
Photos
An image says more than a thousand words. Photographs connect people and remind them of special places, feelings, and stories. Family members can take photos of their senior loved ones during the storytelling session and use the photos to create personal scrapbooks to document the activity.
The Right Place to Save Digital Data for Future Reference
- On the computer: Files can be accessed easily without an internet connection
- External hard drives: They have more memory space than computers. Family members can reserve a specific hard drive for seniors' stories.
- Cloud storage: Files are protected from viruses
Pro Tip: When storing a digital file, creating and naming well-organized directories helps identify and locate important files easily.
Let Us Help You
If you or someone you know is considering hiring a professional caregiver for a senior loved one, we have your back! Senior Helpers Lee's Summit is the leading provider of in-home senior care throughout Lee's Summit, Kansas City, and Blue Spring.
We provide customized home care services ranging from companion care to specialized care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, as well as other chronic diseases. Contact us today to schedule an in-home assessment.