I can remember sitting by my Grandmother and leafing through her scrapbooks; "Who's that.” I asked, she would tell me not only who it was but when it was and why it was taken. Our time spent going through the pages of her past are cherished memories. I now am in possession of many of those scrapbooks; my one wish is that I would have written down the names and stories she told me so many years ago. Now I look at those photos wondering "who's that?”

One of the greatest gifts our elders can give us is the stories of their past. There are so many unanswered questions when they are gone; my advice is ask them now. What was it like for them growing up? What were their parents like? How did they meet their spouse? What is their favorite memory? Where did they live?

Your Grandparents, Parents, Aunts and Uncles are a wealth of information; don't let the time slip by. Spend time with them.

Start Going through the Family Photos - You'll be amazed by the different reactions a photograph can bring. Each person seems to remember something different. I can remember showing my mother and her sisters a photograph of them when they were young; each of them had a different story about the day the photograph was taken.

Give Them A Journal - Many of our elderly spend endless hours alone each day. Give them a journal. Show them you care about their past. Ask them to write down memories from their life. Go throug

h a stack of photographs with them. Put post-it notes on the back of the photographs (for example 1-20), then ask them to write down the memory of each photo.

Interview Them - Life is so short and when they are gone their memories go with them. You'll be left with boxes chuck full of photographs wondering, "Who's that?” Interviewing them can be a lot of fun. My Grandmother was delighted when I inquired about her childhood, being a young adult, marriage, and having babies. Grab your video camera and a tripod and start talking. This will become a family treasure.

I have taken our family photographs and scanned them for each of my siblings. Each photograph includes a description of the event and the names of the people captured in the image.

Photos often fade, or can be damaged by years of exposure to ultraviolet light, and improper storage. By scanning the photos you preserve the image and memory.

Next time you are with a family member, grab the photo album and don't forget to ask; "Who's that?”

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