Grief outlasts every casserole, and the thing families ache for a year later is the voice. Two hours with a recorder gives them something no one else will think to make until it can’t be made.
Record a Life Story at Hospice
Volunteer with a hospice's life-review program and record a patient telling their stories — the wedding, the war, the recipe — so their family keeps the voice, not just the memories.
What you'll need
- The hospice's volunteer training (most run life-story or legacy programs)
- A phone or recorder
- A short list of open questions — how did you meet, what was your street like, what should we know
Pitfalls
- Follow their pace and their energy. A twenty-minute session is a full session.
- Ask about ordinary days, not just milestones. The Tuesday details are the ones families cry over later.
- The recording belongs to the family. Deliver it promptly, and keep no copy.
One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. — Psalm 145:4