w a s h i n g t o n B e a c o n — SE P TE M B E R 2 0 1 3
Say you saw it in the Beacon
63
What’s the scoop on coffee? Is it good for you or bad for you? Read the summer issue of Generation-to-Generation newsletter to learn the latest on the benefits and risks in that cup of joe. Visit hebrew-home.org, Newsroom page. While you’re there, check the archives for 100+ topics relevant to seniors. Is there a topic you would like to see covered? Contact us at hhinfo@hebrew-home.org.
Generation to Generation The magic of nostalgia
Initiatives
Ah, the aroma of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, the caress of a soft breeze coming off the lake, the stirring notes of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America”. Stimulants like these can bring on a wave of nostalgia and make us feel…better. So, it’s not entirely surprising to learn that academics have latched on to nostalgia as a field of study because nostalgia does indeed have a therapeutic up side. In a recent New York Times article, “What Is Nostalgia Good For? Quite a Bit, Research Shows,” writer John Tierney describes British university professor Patty Hagen encourages the therapeutic aspect of Constantine Sedikides, who began studying nostalgia in 1999. nostalgia. Now researchers are developing tools to measure and understand nostalgia as a path to feeling good. The good news What Tierney draws from the findings of Dr. Sedikides and others is that “nostalgizing” makes people less anxious or depressed. They appear “more generous to strangers and more tolerant of outsiders.” Couples report greater closeness when sharing fond memories. What’s most interesting is that in cold surroundings, body temperature warms during moments of nostalgia. Dr. Sedikides defines the benefits he has personally derived: “Nostalgia made me feel that my life had roots and continuity…It provided a texture to life and gave me strength to move forward.” There’s no question that good memories coexist with bad ones but, according to Dr. Sedikides, very often the problems contained in more painful memories “tend to end well, thanks to help from someone close to you, so you end up with a stronger feeling of belonging and affiliation.” Inducing nostalgia You can do what Dr. Sedikides himself does, which is to create more “nostalgic-to-be memories,” or simply draw on your “nostalgic repository.” Other proven ways to stir up positive nostalgia are to listen to favorite music from a past era, to revisit places connected to happy experiences, and to look at treasured memorabilia from special occasions, trips, relationships or childhood. Old photos, letters, newspapers, diaries, and
documents may be a rich source of pleasurable nostalgia. If you need help with preserving these invaluable relics of the past, there are many companies that supply reliable storage materials. The Hollinger Corporation, at www.hollingermetaledge.com is one source for archival products, including: • Archival boxes and acid-free document storage cases • Polypropylene photo sleeves and binder pages • Magazine files for vertical storage • Phonograph record storage • Compact disc storage What a conversation can accomplish Perhaps the easiest way to assist a friend or relative delve into a trove of happy thoughts is through relaxed conversation. Things easily forgotten can be retrieved with some simple questions: • Can you tell me more about that time? • What were the best parts of your childhood? • Who are the people with you in the photo? • You like to knit? Can you tell me how you chose that hobby? n
Patty Hagen, director of Memory Care Programs at Charles E. Smith Life Communities, regards nostalgia as an essential therapeutic device. “It can be key to elevating mood in residents living with dementia,” she says. At Cohen-Rosen House, our memory care residence, seniors are encouraged to reflect on moments and relationships in their past experienced against the backdrop of history and culture. “It’s gratifying to watch seniors light up at a poignant recollection,” notes Patty. To help tease out positive memories in our elderly population, she instructs her staff to plan activities involving the five senses. Ideas may include: • Looking at photo albums • Smelling flowers in a vase or garden • Savoring the taste of ice cream • Listening to music • Doing a simple art project Visit the Cohen-Rosen website, www.cohen-rosen.org, to check out her blog, “Cognitive Loss: Insights & Fresh Approaches.” Perspective
“Nostalgia brings to mind cherished experiences that assure us we are valued people who have meaningful lives.” — P rofessor Clay Routledge,
North Dakota State University
Turn the page for Ring House events... LifeTimes | Page 3