Page 26 - Storytelling - Storylistening

VII. Reminiscing Ideas for Recovering Golden Memories
B. Photographs – Barnard and her staff clip pictures from magazines, tape them onto large index cards and place them in a shoebox. The elder thumbs through the box and picks out three pictures, which she uses to tell a story from her life. As with reminiscence boxes, this exercise is effective in learning circles because one elder’s story will help other participants recall similar events from their lives.
You can protect the pictures from wear and tear by putting them inside clear, plastic sleeves available at stores selling school supplies. The sleeves are then attached inside a plastic coated, loose-leaf binder for elders to thumb through. Smudges can easily be wiped from the plastic sleeves. This is very important if the materials are to be handled by residents on precautions (VRE, MRSA, or CDIFF) because the books and pages can be disinfected.
For additional images to spur storytelling, Barnard suggests drawing from residents’ photo albums, travel postcards and framed pictures displayed in their rooms.
C. Time lines – When Barnard became Activities Director at the DHMC Elder Life Unit, the walls were covered by staff materials and displayed nothing of interest for patients. To encourage the unit’s elders to get out of bed and stimulate their memories, her department created a timeline of the 20th Century.
Volunteers with the C. Everett Koop Institute Healing Arts Program researched historic dates and gathered relevant news articles and photographs. Patients contributed their personal memories of the times. Hung on a wall visible to all who enter the unit, the time line motivates patients to be more physically and mentally active and to reminisce with family members, staff and each other.
Porch Swing SeriesTM Culture Change Workbooks ©Action Pact, Inc.2005-2006 p.22