One of the benefits of aging is acquiring a wealth of wisdom and experience. But all too often older loved ones’ insights and stories go unshared as family or professional caregivers, as well as grandchildren, are unsure how to bridge the generation gap. <\/p>
“When in the presence of an aging loved one, it might seem daunting to connect with them or at least find something in common,” says Amy Fuchs, licensed clinical social worker and founder of The Elder Expert<\/a>, in Saddle River, New Jersey. “One way to counteract that is to ask your aging loved one open-ended questions about their life. In many ways, you might find their openness enlightening and insightful. Perhaps you’ll even recognize that you have more in common than you realize.” <\/p> Asking questions that encourage older adults to talk<\/a> about their lives can help forge a new connection or strengthen an existing bond. At the same time, it may help them feel valued or better understood. <\/p> Jay Newton-Small, founder of MemoryWell<\/a>, a Washington D.C.-based company that writes seniors’ life stories, recalls that moving her dad into long-term care<\/a> was one of the hardest days of her life. In an effort to help caregivers really get to know her father, Newton-Small wrote down his story and shared it. “His caregivers loved it,” she says, “because now they could understand my father so much better and soothe him in tense moments by recalling for him family names or poignant details about his life.”<\/p> If you’re ready to learn more about the older adult in your life, the following are 20 questions to ask your parents, grandparents and seniors to spark an engaging conversation that’s beneficial for all.<\/p> “This helps give grandchildren<\/a> and caregivers context as to where the senior came from,” says Fuchs. “It can also be a beginning to a longer conversation as to how the senior ended up in their present location.”<\/p> This gives the senior an opportunity to reminisce about their childhood, perhaps even offer up some happy memories from their youth, says Fuchs.<\/p> “This helps with bonding and building a connection,” explains Dr. Leela R. Magavi<\/a>, psychiatrist and regional medical director for California-based Mindpath Health<\/a>. <\/p> “We often find that people have rich memories associated with favorite pets — vacations, hiking or just at home,” says Newton-Small.<\/p> This offers a window into their interests.<\/p> “That’s a great way to get to the nostalgia of childhood, but not in an overly sentimental or emotional way,” says Newton-Small. “It also gets to family values and work ethic.” <\/p> Again, this provides a way to find out about other interests and possibly showcase hidden abilities and talents.<\/p> This is another opportunity to discuss a happier time in their life, Fuchs explains. You can also learn about any other states or countries they’ve visited and find out if they can speak another language.<\/p> Read more:<\/strong><\/p>Key takeaways<\/h3>
The mutual benefits of asking questions and sharing stories<\/h2>
Questions to ask seniors about their childhood<\/b>s<\/h2>
1. Where did you grow up? <\/b><\/h3>
2. Please tell me about your parents\/siblings? <\/b><\/h3>
3. What is your favorite childhood memory?<\/b><\/h3>
4. Did you have any great pets? <\/b><\/h3>
5. What was your favorite subject in school? <\/b><\/h3>
6. What summer jobs or household chores did you have as a child?<\/b><\/h3>
7. Did you play sports? What was your favorite sport both to play and to watch? <\/b><\/h3>
8. What was your favorite family vacation? How did you spend your summers? <\/b><\/h3>