Mary Allen wrote:
Message: 7
class=122090915-19102005> Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005
19:49:29 -0700 (PDT)
class=122090915-19102005> From: Mary Allen
size=2>mary.allen3770@...
size=2>
class=122090915-19102005> Subject: Re: collecting
oral history
Thank you, Natalie: I have gone to the section you
recommend and am trying to prepare myself for a good interview. One of the
persons I will visit is in her 90s so I will try to do it right the first
time.
Mary
size=2>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi
Mary! Your message above reminds me of what I just
learned a couple of weeks ago. I interviewed a 91 year old cousin (by
marriage) of my mother who provided me with some good
information........although my cousin (her son) told me that his mom's memory
was fading! Yes, she did have some trouble remembering some things, but
what I did was refer to my Family Group Sheets on that particular family and
"sort of jog her memory" and it worked! I went slow......did
not push things on her, made it like an ordinary conversation, kept reassuring
her, etc. I used my tape recorder and made my own pencil notes on
the Family Group Sheets from what she said. One problem that I noticed was that
she did not have her hearing aid on and, as I told my cousin later, this may be
one of the reasons he thought she had problems with her memory......she probably
could not hear what he was asking her! She did apologize to me for
not being able to hear! I hugged her and reassured her that she did
not have a problem with her memory! Today, my cousin calls me and tells me
his mother is still talking about "her visit with Josie" and all the things we
discussed! Remember that as we age, everything fades out.......our
hearing, our sight, etc.! Perhaps you can take along a magnifying
glass so you can show her some of the pictures and she can see them
better. Even though I wear glasses, I sometimes have to rely on my
magnifying glass to "really see things!"
Good
luck! Josie in San
Antonio