by Sherrin Griffin, VP, Operations, Sidney SeniorCare –
As a kid, I remember seeing worn, old photographs of my great grandfather and thinking how handsome and smart he looked in his military uniform. At that age I didn’t understand the significance of the uniform or why men like my great grandfather went to war. Thankfully, we have a special day set aside to pay respect to and teach our children about these heroes. The November 11 date was originally observed after the end of the first World War; this date now also encompasses “remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, our country during times of war, conflict and peace,” according to the federal department of Veterans Affairs Canada.
Of course, the veterans who fought bravely in WWI, a century ago, have since passed away, and of the over one million Canadians who participated in WW2, just over 60,000 were still alive as of November 2016, one of whom I met a few months ago. Listening to accounts of his own war-time experience, during a time so very different from our own, awakened a yearning inside me to hear more.
My time spent with this centenarian reminded me how very precious these memories are from our seniors. The elderly are literally well-preserved time capsules from another era. Their stories and accounts of the “old days” give us a colourful glimpse into history, which is not only educational and incredibly fascinating, but helps us to better understand our place in the world today.
When seniors reminisce about the past and share their life experiences with us, the benefits are powerful in so many ways:
• Helps to preserve family history and bonds families closer together.
• Gives meaning to seniors’ lives and helps them to understand their life’s purpose.
• Helps seniors to take stock of all that they have accomplished over the years and fosters pride.
• May lower depression, loneliness and stress for seniors, and increase self-esteem.
• Takes the senior’s mind off of worrisome medical conditions and can promote physical health; recalling happy memories can reduce anxiety and lower blood pressure.
• Promotes laughter and entertainment value for seniors, family and friends.
• Helps seniors to find peace and bring closure to unresolved life experiences with a fresh mature outlook.
• Enhances and can even improve communication skills. Research demonstrates that as seniors remember the past, new pathways form in the brain that assist with communication skills.
In addition, flipping through old photo albums and sharing old movies and music can bring seniors back to life, sparking their memories to recall long-forgotten special moments and details from their past.
One of my favourite activities to do with my elderly parents is to plow through the positively ancient dress box bursting with old black and white photographs that my mom has lovingly transported from residence to residence over the years. We sit for hours and go through family photos of old Christmases gone-by, laugh hysterically at the funny hairstyles and clothing trends over the decades, and wonder over long-lost relatives we hadn’t had the pleasure of even meeting. Most importantly, we bond as a family over our shared history in this great country of ours.
Perhaps the most heart-warming fact of all … with over 10,000 Canadian centenarians as of July 1, there are still plenty of stories left to tell.
