Oral History Project

In the last 100 years, massive technological improvements have reshaped the world.  With each new year comes a dizzying array of new technology which forces us to spend extraordinary amounts of time simply to "keep up."  And anyone who hasn't "kept up" has no wisdom to share.

Not so. Wisdom comes not from things, but from experiences. Friends: it is critically important – perhaps more important than ever before - for us to recognize, cherish and learn from the knowledge, wisdom and experiences of our more aged Friends. For this reason, the Committee on Aging has embarked upon the ORAL HISTORY PROJECT.

The concept is simple: Friends interview older Friends in a comfortable, informal atmosphere, record the interview (perhaps transcribe the interview), and make the results of the interview available in some fashion for the benefit of the rest of the Meeting – and, if appropriate, to the wider community of Friends.

Though simple, there are basic rules and techniques that can make the process bear good fruit. The other web pages go into the techniques of preparing for and conducting interviews, provide some sample questions, and explore the “equipment” aspect of the process.

The Committee on Aging kicked off its Oral History Project with a workshop on that topic at the 2004 NEYM sessions. This goal of the project is broadly to honor our elderly members and to gain insights and inspiration from the experiences and wisdom of these Friends. The Committee¹s goal is to empower Monthly Meetings and New England Friends with the tools to accomplish this end.

The Committee repeated its workshop in 2005 and has considered holding a weekend training session. We have put together a resource packet for those interested in conducting oral interviews. In the meantime, the Committee is seeking information from individuals and Monthly Meetings who may have already conducted such oral interviews or other forms of experience-sharing. Please contact Karen Will (227 Girard Ave. Hartford, CT 06105-2234; 860-232-5253; kellycpw@aol.com) with such information or with your questions.

=================

Suggested Reading

The Friends Journal for July 2004 issue is a special edition on Aging & Life's End that is well worth reading.  You can order back copies from the Journal. Click here to see the full table of contents and to read two articles on the Friends Journal's own web site.  

It has sections on:




Statement of Purpose

The Committee on Aging is concerned with the needs of aging people and their caregivers and the ways that New England Yearly Meeting can address those needs. It aims to increase awareness of the aging process, including its problems and opportunities. Its role includes assisting Friends and the wider community to recognize, cherish, and learn from the knowledge of our more aged Friends.

Committee Members 2007-2008

To contact the committee write to the Clerk, Committee on Aging at:

by email:
aging (at) neym (dot) org

or:

c/o NEYM
901 Pleasant St.
Worcester, MA


Committee on Aging

Annual Report 2006-2007

This committee has a double purpose: first, concern for the needs of elderly among Friends; second, celebration of our older Friends, honoring their lives and benefitting from their wisdom. This year we have maintained and extended these goals. We are not sponsoring workshops this year, having previously presented one on Oral History, and one on Final Choices. Each was offered two years. We continue to provide information on a display table at Yearly Meeting. Material has been sent to Monthly Meetings in the past. However the COA has determined that our web page is the best way to disperse information.

An Oral History packet was sent to each Monthly Meeting last year, and we make ourselves available to Friends who wish to embark on an oral history project. Other than to be supportive, there is no further explicit action for the COA to undertake on this project. Sandy Isaacs offered to be a contact person for Friends who want to undertake a project. Karen Wills, who presented the Oral History workshops, also continues to offer support.

The COA will continue to offer the Five Wishes booklets in the NEYM bookstore. This publication is for individuals to document end-of-life choices and to provide information concerning burial decisions, religious services, contact resources for persons to be notified upon death, and so forth. Information completed in this booklet has been accepted as a legal document by several states. A DVD about Five Wishes is available from the COA for any Monthly Meeting to borrow. Additional information on end-of-life choices is available upon request to this committee, and is on the COA web site.

The COA web site is accessible from the NEYM web page, offering an array of resources for meetings regarding aging. Considerations for Monthly Meetings concerning elderly needs, sent by mail to monthly meetings, also have been included on the web page. It contains a resource list of books and videos, and we welcome further suggestions for that list. Since each state has different statutes concerning senior citizen resources for health care and financials affairs, the web page has links to each New England state's resources. The web site also includes the Oral History packet and some "final choices" information.

Joan Warren

Outgoing Clerk of the Committee on Aging