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AGING with an Attitude
Digital Memories To Create Moments That Matter
By
Dorie U . Sugay
Dorie Sugay is the Executive Director of Visiting Angels , a company that provides livingassistance services to seniors and adults-in-need who wish to stay in their own home or receive oneon-one care within a facility .
This article is for informational and educational purposes only . It was written independent of Visiting Angels .
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icture Barbara Streisand singing , “ Memories … light the corners of my mind ” and think of the older adult in your life whose memories have been pushed to the corners of their mind by age , cognitive decline or a form of dementia ( Alzheimer ’ s being the most prevalent ). Reconstructed memories , it turns out , do create moments that matter , according to the results of studies recently completed .
In 2012 , three studies , a collaboration between University of Toronto in Canada , Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons , Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and ProGevity Neuroscience , were completed . The studies delved into the psychosocial impacts of digital storytelling and lifelogging technologies on older adults with cognitive decline . ( Each participant ’ s life was digitally captured , using pictures , videos , captions and interviews ). The researchers followed a very thorough process . The older adults and their families were interviewed at great length ; observed , and psychologically tested to measure memory , sense of identity and emotional well-being before and six months after exposure to the biographical displays . The results were highly encouraging .
The study revealed many things . Although the studies did not provide adequate evidence that the memories of the participants improved , it did show that the process of constructing the digital biography stimulated participant ’ s memory . When a person experiencing cognitive decline remembers – those are moments that matter . The study allowed the participants to choose between constructing the biography alone or with family members , but personally I think engaging the family members would be more beneficial .
Imagine sitting with your dad and asking him to remember things from his past . If your dad is worried he won ’ t remember what you want him to ; the process can get tense . An interview approach , especially conducted by someone who is not trained to encourage recollection , can be threatening . Ask him to be the tour guide in the journey . Start the digital biography if you can . This will alleviate pressure and the shared experience will be great for bonding and creating more moments that matter !
The study also concluded that the process increased the quality and quantity of communication between the older adult and the family . We live in a world where details are often omitted because we speed through life . Constructing a biography of your parent ( s ) will fill in the blanks , provide puzzle pieces . When Mom is agitated , why does Dancing with the Stars calm her down ? You might learn she was a dancing queen in her day . The more we understand people , the better we communicate with them . The process could very well reveal thoughts never shared and dislodge debris that blocked communication somehow .