LifeBio

How to choose a quality memory book or memory journal

2009-12-30T14:21:00.000-05:00

You may be interested in a memory book for your mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather. Not all memory books are created equal. Here is what to look for in a memory book or "memory journal" for your parents or grandparents. Sometimes having some structure makes it easier to interview a parent or grandparent. Here are some things to watch for when choosing a memory book or memory journal:
1) How are the questions organized? Does it provide a clear structure to allow your loved one to cover all the major events of life? Does it make it easy for them to describe people that shaped their lives, memories from growing up, adulthood, and beliefs and values? These are all critical to building a complete life story. Memory books should offer many topics that may not be obvious. For example, topics like pets, volunteerism and philanthropy, friendship, and lessons through the years are all parts of life that can be written about.
2) Will the memory book evoke the kinds of things you as children or grandchildren really want to know? In other words, do the questions get to the core of WHO your mom or dad really is and inspire them to reminisce more? Will the autobiography questions go deep enough? For example, some memory books might only provide two or three questions about your mother's parents, while the Memory Journal has fourteen questions on the topic of "Mother" alone.
3) Is the memory book asking positive or neutral questions? A memory book's questions should not be leading a person to answer in a negative way (although they can always choose how they will answer a question). For example, one memory book asked the question, "Did your mother hug you enough as a child?" Not a very good question to ask. Even if your mother hugged you plenty, you start to ask yourself, "Did she hug me enough?" Instead, the Memory Journal asks you to... "Describe your mother to someone who has never met her." The tone of questions is positive or neutral.
4) Is there a next step? Can the memory book become something more? Families are typically interested in having a copy of a parent's or grandparent's memory book. Although the pages can always be copied and simply stapled or bound together, there are other ways to bring the story to a final form. For example, the Memory Journal's questions match those found at LifeBio.com so you can easily transfer information from the journal to the web. Next, one or multiple copies of leather, hardcover books can then be made from the person's story and distributed to family and friends.
We hope you enjoy hearing the stories and memories of your loved one. A memory book will bring out many things that don't come up in typical conversation. If you have the time, it is wonderful to ask the questions over the phone especially if you live faraway from your mother or father. Don't miss out on the amazing things your older relatives have to share.

There's no time like the present and no better gift to the future.

Is your New Year's Resolution to capture life stories of a loved one?

2009-12-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

I was reminded over the holidays as we sat around the dinner table that these are precious people staring back at me. My parents are extra special and so are my aunts and uncles. I look at their lives and realize all the good times and hardships that have shaped them over the years. I realize that they have interesting opinions and perspectives on life that deserve to be recorded and remembered by me, by my children, and someday by my grandchildren....and on. Since I am the founder of LifeBio, I've done my best to capture their life stories in print and audio recording (some video recording too), to know them deeply, to record their voices and photos. There are more questions I could ask. There are more people, times, and places that they could share with me. It's such a gift to me when I interview them that I need to set aside some time to work on my own family more. Such interesting people. There's nothing more fascinating than people's life stories.

Is your New Year's Resolution to write an autobiography?

2009-12-30T05:49:00.000-05:00

Resolve to begin writing an autobiography. It's funny but so many people think they have nothing to say. I met a gentleman just the other day and told him about the work we do at LifeBio and how we've helped thousands of people with our autobiography template. He laughed and said, "I've got nothing to say." I reminded him that his life is made up of all these incredible people who came before him--parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts. He's also got a ton of memories from his childhood and he can discuss historical events too. Then there is his life as an adults--work, love, marriage, kids, grandkids. Of course, there's his values and life lessons too. So I convinced him (I think) that he actually has something to say, and I reminded him that he's the only person who can actually do it. No one else can share the people, times, and places of his life.

We've learned a thing or two. Wisdom is a good thing.

2009-12-28T21:21:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit older and wiser now. This uncertain decade has taught me a few things. September 11th taught me that life is precious--every day is a gift. Jobs may disappear. Home values may drop. It's easy to be fearful and doubtful....but better days are ahead. But it's the people that matter the most. Expressing love and listening is very important right now. Yes, it's a good thing that we're all a bit older and wiser.

Free family and friends conversation kit -- perfect questions for that family gathering!

2009-12-23T15:03:00.002-05:00

We hope you enjoy the new conversations and connections that happen as a result of using LifeBio.com’s Family & Friends Conversation Kit. LifeBio makes it easy to capture life stories. Enjoy reminiscing with family and making new friends too. Interview grandma. Interview grandpa. Interview mom or dad! Write an autobiography or learn how to write an autobiography. With LifeBio, it’s as simple as answering straightforward biographical questions. You should write a book! LifeBio gives you the structure to get started without delay.

http://www.lifebio.com/conversationkit.pdf

How to write an autobiography

2009-12-23T11:35:00.000-05:00

Writing an autobiography really doesn't have to be rocket science. Here are 5 great tips to help you get started.

1. Think. Think about the people who shaped you, your childhood memories, the real world of adulthood, and the values and lessons you have learned through the years.

2. Ask. Ask questions of your relatives when you are together or by phone. After all, their lives are a big part of your life. Change your conversations from the same-old, same-old to something new. You've probably never asked a parent or grandparent to describe their childhood neighborhood to you.

3. Write. Answering questions is a great way to get started (www.lifebio.com). You've just got to put pen to paper and not be afraid of grammar or spelling (www.memoryjournal.com). Some of the most amazing stories are just raw, honest, and from YOUR point of view. Nothing fancy.

4. Edit. Your family and friends really don't want every detail of your life recorded. This is not a blog...it is your life story! Some of the deep questions of life mean more than knowing just the facts or just the funny family stories. Give your family and friends a little bit of everything in your story.

5. Preserve. Your story could be on your hard drive, saved on a website, or sitting on a CD somewhere. Create a book from your story--and make sure key people get a copy of your autobiography. Ensure your family can easily locate this along with your other important papers. You've made the effort so it's important that your stories live on--long after you're gone. Genealogists and your great-great-great grandchildren will thank you! Your story is a gift.

Beth Sanders
Founder & CEO
LifeBio.com

There's no time like the PRESENT and no better GIFT to the future. The gift of memories

2009-12-19T09:48:00.000-05:00

What better gift can your loved one give you than the gift of his or her life stories? You can give them the gift and answer the questions, "How do I write an autobiography?" Frankly, many people have wanted to do it, but they aren't sure where to start. LifeBio makes that easy by giving the prompting questions that are exactly made for people of different backgrounds and ages to create a lasting record of life lessons, values, traditions, and memories. There's no time like the PRESENT and no better GIFT to the future.

All I want for Christmas is...

2009-12-15T10:42:00.000-05:00

Dear __________________, (Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Sue, Uncle Bill or another loved one)

All I want for Christmas is your life story recorded.

I always want to be able to read your book and know that important things have been recorded. I know this is a priceless gift and it's something that only YOU can give me. Now, when I say your life story, I mean that I want you to share....

• your memories from childhood (even little details like your best friend, favorite toy, game, food, radio/TV program, etc.).

• historical events and how they affected you and our family.

• heirlooms that mean a lot to you and WHY they mean a lot.

• those funny stories you always tell me when we're talking on the phone.

• our family history (not just genealogy but what makes our family tick). Also, I can't remember that one important fact about our family that I wish I had written down by now.

• what a day was like when you were a kid.

• what great-grandpa liked to do.

• the names of the people in the photo album that I don't know.

• what hopes and dreams you have for the future.

Also, could you talk about ME. What was it like when you held me for the first time? What funny things did I do or say when I was a kid? Do you have any words of advice for me? These things don't come up in normal conversation most of the time. Yes, I'd really appreciate it if you'd write an autobiography about YOU. That's the book I want the most. If it is recorded, it won't be lost or forgotten. Thank for giving me a priceless gift.

Love,

YOUR NAME GOES HERE

How to begin an intergenerational oral history project

2009-12-06T19:54:00.000-05:00

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!

The Great Story & Your Story: an intergenerational Bible study

2009-11-30T13:18:00.000-05:00

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.

Thanksgiving good wishes from LifeBio.com

2009-11-20T08:35:00.000-05:00

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.

LifeBio's Memory Journal makes Caring.com's holiday gift guide list

2009-11-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

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.

Keep your family history alive

2009-11-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

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.

Family & Friends Conversation Kit...download it now

2009-11-14T09:13:00.000-05:00

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!

The gift of memories - a unique gift for that person who has everything

2009-11-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

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.

Free Download from LifeBio.com promises meaningful dinner conversations

2009-11-12T07:34:00.002-05:00

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.

Capturing the Essence of Your Life

2009-10-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

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

Powerful Relationships & Writing Life Stories

2009-10-14T11:48:00.000-04:00

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

7 Tips for Successful Interviewing - LIfeBio.com

2009-09-17T03:55:00.003-04:00

L - Listen
I - Investigate
F- Find Values
E - Emotions
B - Be Prepared
I - Interest
O - Open-Ended Style

Receive free life story interviewing tips and a free autobiography template at http://www.lifebio.com/

Aegis Living's blog -- VERY interesting, WORTH reading

2009-09-16T15:35:00.001-04:00

http://aegisliving.blogspot.com/

Need help interviewing a parent or grandparent?

2009-09-16T14:11:00.003-04:00

LifeBio now offers professional, personal interviews by phone. The interview questions are provided and you can decide just what should be asked. Customize the questions if you wish. Affordable and fun....you and your loved one will appreciate the MP3 file--listen to the interview on your iPod with an MP3 file provided. The new and best way to record life stories by phone. We'll do the work for you.

Take the Positive Aging Perception Quiz

2009-09-16T14:06:00.002-04:00

Autobiography Gift...uncommon gift but priceless

2009-09-15T09:48:00.003-04:00

Only about 6% of Americans create a lasting legacy for their kids and grandkids. Too few...too little...too late. Autobiography Template is available at www.lifebio.com so you can get started without delay.

Celebrate Active Aging Week - Sept 21 - Sept 27

2009-09-13T20:13:00.004-04:00

As a preferred vendor of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), LifeBio wants to encourage older adults to participate in activities that promote wellbeing the week of Sept. 21-27. Over 100 studies in the last 10 years have shown that reminiscence lowers depression, increases life satisfaction, and helps in building meaningful relationships. We invite you to visit http://www.lifebio.com/ and begin your life story to celebrate Active Aging Week! There's no time like the present and no better gift to the future!

Dr. John Dykers' End of Life Plan from Annie's Mailbox

2009-09-13T13:20:00.003-04:00

Dear Annie: I'm so glad you brought up the end-of-life plan dilemma faced by "Aunt Thelma, Uncle John and Marie." I am a doctor, and my patients have universally embraced my own end-of-life plan as follows:
"If you can fix me, please do. If you can't fix me, please help me avoid pain, fear, lack of air, hunger, nausea, thirst, loss of dignity and prolonging the dying process. I understand it might take a few days to figure out whether you can fix me or not."
This format helps facilitate conversation between generations without the feeling of abandonment. Most of us old folks don't fear death as much as the process of dying or prolonged disability. — John R. Dykers Jr., M.D.