There are two types of life reviews. One is a phenomenon that occurs during a near-death experience. The person will see their life in chronological order. The other is when the elderly or dying have an opportunity to reflect on their life and to communicate those memories with another.
There are tremendous benefits for everyone when a life review is performed. For the person doing the life review, it brings value and meaning to their experiences. It also brings closure. For the family and friends receiving the stories, the life review provides an oral history ~ they may hear or learn things that they had no idea about or that they always wondered about. If the elderly or dying person is okay with it, having someone videotape the review provides a permanent record to be enjoyed in the future.
How to get started with a life review? It doesn’t have to be an onerous task – play some music and start reminiscing with photos. Pictures trigger wonderful stories! Another suggestion is an activity that I call The Memory Tree. Make some paper hearts out of red construction paper. Punch a hole at the top and string a thread or ribbon through the hole. Encourage family and friends to record their favourite memory with the person. Hang the hearts on a silk or real household plant/tree. It’s easy to take a heart from the tree and ask, “Grandpa, tell me about the fishing trip with my dad when he was ten.” Have a pen and paper ready to take notes!
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