It's Time to Tell Your Story

1. Decide who will participate. Is there a likely connection between older adults and youth in your community? For example, a group of older people in your church and a church youth group. OR seniors living in assisted living and the high school National Honor Society.

2. Define the scope of the project. Will this be a short term or more long term program? One session or multiple times of meeting together? Keep it simple at first. Not too many participants (maybe 5-6 of each age group) and just meet together 1-2 times to see how it goes.

3. Determine the resources you need. Storyboards are a wonderful idea and so are Story Cards that get people talking about things they don't normally discuss. Computer projects or memory journals can also be great tools for capturing the life stories of older adults. Maybe the older adults can capture the life stories of the youth too! It can be a two-way street.

4. Connect. Once you have a plan--go for it! Don't worry that everything has to be perfect, but try your best to break the ice and bring older adults and youth together comfortably. An opening fun introduction or some kind of food shared will help people start to talk before they jump into the oral history project.

5. Evaluate. Make sure you survey your first participants and learn from the experience. Then you can incorporate this knowledge into your growing program...and see great success!

Labels: intergenerational Bible study, older adult ministry, oral history, writing an autobiography, youth group ideas

Many churches are seeking ways to bring the generations together. This 12-week Bible study is designed to make that possible. This study goes through 12 stories from the Bible and then the co-authors share their own unique perspectives on the biblical stories. The small group is invited to then share their own story of how the Bible story relates to their own lives. Amazing results...includes worship service ideas and leader's ideas at the back of the book. $14.95 for 1-4 quantity. $11.00 for 5 or more books. www.lifebio.com. SHOP or call 1-866-543-3246

This study would also be ideal for conducting Bible study in senior living or active aging communities.

Labels: creative memories, intergenerational Bible study, life stories in churches, unique bible study

Ready for your family gathering? Want to make it more meaningful than ever? Download LifeBio's Family & Friends Conversation Kit now. Just visit http://www.lifebio.com/ for access. Connect and listen.

Labels: autobiography template, interviewing grandma, interviewing mom, writing an autobiography

The LifeBio Memory Journal is especially suited to an older person who enjoys writing. This lovely gift is a book of creative, memory-jogging questions about life, with sufficient space after each question to capture handwritten answers. It creates a wonderful opportunity for a grandparent to pass on stories and wisdom to the next few generations.


The journal asks more than 250 questions, such as, "How would you describe your mother to someone who has never met her?" Or "What skills did you inherit from your parents?" Other questions ask the writers to recall their favorite birthday party as a child, the neighborhood they grew up in, or a favorite subject when they were in high school. The resulting answers can be transferred to an online LifeBio journal and merged with scanned pictures to become a hardbound LifeBio book that can be copied multiple times and given to different family members.

Sharing stories encourages a closer, more meaningful relationship with your children and grandchildren. Family's stories are worth telling because you may be able to describe people, times and places that no one else in the family knows about. Lastly, you can help the next generation—inspiring, teaching and modeling strength and courage for them.

Labels: digital scrapbooking, family history, genealogy, how to record life stories, write a book

Who are these people sitting around the Thanksgiving table? How much do you really know about your own parents or grandparents? It's time to talk about something more interesting than weather, health, sports, or food. Go to http://www.lifebio.com/ and access the FREE Family & Friends Conversation Kit. It's a great day of listening!

Labels: autobiography, interview grandpa, interviewing grandma, national day of listening, storycorps

We all know that person who truly has EVERYTHING. They want for nothing, but we still want to give them something. What can you possibly give them this Christmas or Hanukkah that they could really use?

Consider the gift of LifeBio. They can work online to capture their own life stories....or you can be thousands of miles away and interview them and type their memories into LifeBio's proven online template.

If they would rather write in a journal, give them the Memory Journal. With only 6% of Americans ever writing an autobiography or biography, there are plenty of parents and grandparents who need to capture their stories now--before it's too late. So it does make a great gift.

I can guarantee one thing. If their memories are not recorded, they will be lost or forgotten. There will be no regrets if you get started now.

Labels: Christmas, eid, family history, genealogy, Hanukkah, memorable gifts, unique gifts

Thanksgiving is all about family togetherness, but how many Americans will be able to move this year's table conversation away from the same old talk about sports, weather and cranberry sauce? Older loved ones can be gold mines of wisdom and experience as well as windows into living history, yet many families may never discover these "nuggets" simply because they don't ask the right questions.

Just in time for the holidays, LifeBio is offering a free Family and Friends Conversation Kit, available at http://www.lifebio.com/  through December 31, 2009. Company founder, Beth Sanders, guarantees the kit will make family dinner conversations richer and more meaningful.
"Thanksgiving is one of the best opportunities families have to permanently capture family stories and make them last forever," stated Sanders.
LifeBio's free Family and Friends Conversation Kit includes....

1. Life story questions ideal for Thanksgiving Day or anytime. These table tents can actually be printed and set right on the dinner table. Answer cards for recording memories are provided.
2. LifeBio's 7 Tips for Interviewing
3. Ideas for kids to draw or write the memories being discussed
4. 5 good reasons to capture life stories NOW

"Everyone has a story to tell, yet not everyone knows it, or knows quite how to tell it. That's where LifeBio comes in," Sanders said.

LifeBio offers numerous other ways to capture life stories. A web membership to http://www.lifebio.com/  provides access to over 250+ life story questions about the people who shaped you, historical events, childhood memories, love, jobs and careers, family relationships, beliefs and values. LifeBio also offers a Memory Journal and provides Video and Phone Recording options.

Sanders founded LifeBio in 2000 to help people capture life stories, having been inspired by interviews with her own grandmother.

"I learned so many valuable life lessons from my grandmother because my intentional questions excavated her most cherished memories and most meaningful life experiences. I felt so fortunate to have her answers to those questions. Now, LifeBio gives other families that same opportunity," she said.

Since 2000, LifeBio has helped thousands of people tell and share life stories. Retirement communities, senior groups, churches, and individuals all have used LifeBio's simple, proven approach to record and share family histories, biographies, autobiographies, and family photos.

You are amazing. Simply amazing. There is no one else like you. You can describe people, times, and places that no one else could ever share. You are completely unique and you should write a book. If you've always wanted to capture the essence of your life (or even if you've never thought about it until right now), it's a good idea to write an autobiography. Besides it being a very special gift for children, grandchildren, other family or friends, it allows you to explore who you are. You can take a bit of time to explore what has brought you to this time and place. Review your accomplishments. Remembers the joys and challenges that you've experienced. You've made it this far...now what's next? When you write your life story, you'll have the basis for planning the next miles in your life's journey. What are you waiting for?
www.lifebio.com

Labels: how to create a memory book, how to write an autobiography, neurology, reminiscence, writing an autobiography

Really knowing your parents or grandparents is a great thing. Many families don't always feel like they have a strong relationship with older generations and they aren't sure where to start. It's not easy but it is worth doing. You can build a relationship by interviewing your parents or grandparents. Along the way, you can also have the privilege of helping them to write down life stories.

The gift of life stories is priceless. The good news is that younger generations will have the autobiographies of their great-grandparents and even great-great grandparents, and it won't just be all about genealogy dates and places. It will be capturing the essence of the person. What made him or her unique? What events of life had the biggest impact? What are these life lessons and wisdom (so we don't make the same mistakes)?

Along the way, you can and will build a stronger relationship as you listen to the stories, hear the joys and challenges, and see what you and your older relatives have in common--you are more alike than you think! It will really and truly have the power to change your life. 

--Beth Sanders, Founder of http://www.lifebio.com/, 1-866-LIFEBIO, info@lifebio.com