How family history can help improve elder relatives self-esteem
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How family history can help improve elder relatives self-esteem.
Family history is something that can benefit the entire family. Younger generations can learn about where they came from and the people that came before them; this helps them think about who they are in their own lives and who they want to embody for the future. Older generations can benefit from sharing their own family memories in a highly unique way: namely by increasing their self-esteem in addition to other significant benefits. Let’s take a closer look at how sharing family history stories and going through old family photographs can benefit elderly relatives.
How Telling Family History Stories Benefits Elderly Relatives
The following are the most notable way that sharing family memories can benefit elderly relatives.
Boosts self esteem
Sharing family history helps boost the self-esteem of elderly relatives, who will feel that their input is being valued and that the wisdom, knowledge and memories they’ve created over the years have taken on significant meaning. And they have, since family history is incredibly important. Asking elderly relatives to share what they know really boosts their self-esteem and confidence, which is essential for people in the later stages of life.
To learn how to record your parent’s/family’s love stories click here.
Helps keep their memory sharper
People who share memories are likely to have a stronger memory overall. Elderly relatives who are asked to talk about family history and share who is in old family photographs are more likely to have a sharper, stronger memory than people who are never asked to remember the past.
Let’s them take part in preserving the past for future generations
It’s important that elderly relatives are allowed to be active members of the family. One of the best ways to do this is to allow them to take part in preserving the past for future generations, by sharing family memories, divulging family history, and labeling all the people they know in old family photographs. Preserving the family legacy for future generations is something that anyone, especially elderly relatives, will be proud to do.
To learn how to film your family with a Smartphone click here.
Makes them smile by remembering people and memories past
Finally, elderly relatives can benefit from sharing family history and talking about family memories because it will make them smile to remember all the people, places and things they have experienced during their lifetime. While they share memories, they may remember favorite games they played in their childhood or a favorite vacation they took with their mother; they could remember a dress they used to wear every Sunday to play in or a childhood dog that had been long forgotten. All of the pleasant memories will definitely help them feel happier, boost their mood—and improve their overall quality of life.
Remember, elderly relatives are often the last people who can share interesting and important information about the family—whether it’s the names of people on faded old family photographs or the jobs and former residence locations of great-great grandparents or great-uncles or something in between. Make sure that the elderly relatives in your family reap the benefits from sharing their family history, all the while preserving it for you and future generations.
Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!
To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.
To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.
To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.