Capturing Your Family Stories
Commonwise caregivers record memories and share ways for families to preserve their stories
Published:
November 1, 2016
Every family has the kind of story that expands and embellishes over time.
It’s the tale that inevitably comes up as a holiday dinner winds down. It’s the family fable that captures the unique personality and humor of the narrator.With the busyness of everyday life and care arrangements, it is easy for families to miss an opportunity to record these kinds of stories. Such missed opportunities become painful in hindsight, when we are eager to remember that funny detail from his story or the sound of her voice.At Commonwise, we don’t want anyone to miss out on preserving these memories. Our caregivers are encouraged, with the permission of clients, to record stories to share with family members.This holiday season, we’d encourage you to put your smartphone to good use and record stories that naturally crop up during a meal or while sitting around the fire. When a story gets going, use the audio or video recording functions on your smartphone.You can also use the free StoryCorps app to help you record a conversation. The story you record will then be archived in the Library of Congress. Learn more about StoryCorps and listen to some stories from their archives.Have fun, and happy storytelling.