Aging: it's everyone's story

Last night I covered a ribbon cutting event for my employer, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. I work in communications, where I am able do do things like capture live video for the company Facebook page, maintain the website and oversee the corporate Linked In page.

All of this is great fun, but the most meaningful part of my job is the behind-the-scenes work.

When I'm interviewing residents, tenants or clients who use any of our many services, I'm listening to their stories of triumph and sorrow. I'm connecting with them on a totally human level. I'm not a person doing a job, not someone in a distant city hoping for a perfect sound bite. I am engaged in their story of aging because I know the aging experience will be part of my own story (I hope).

As I recorded the Chamber of Commerce ambassadors and my colleagues raise up the importance of our organization and this work, and later, as I networked with other Chamber members, I was surprised by the personal stories people told.

Last night I covered a ribbon cutting event for my employer, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. I work in communications, where I am able do do things like capture live video for the company Facebook page, maintain the website and oversee the corporate Linked In page.

All of this is great fun, but the most meaningful part of my job is the behind-the-scenes work.

When I'm interviewing residents, tenants or clients who use any of our many services, I'm listening to their stories of triumph and sorrow. I'm connecting with them on a totally human level. I'm not a person doing a job, not someone in a distant city hoping for a perfect sound bite. I am engaged in their story of aging because I know the aging experience will be part of my own story (I hope).

As I recorded the Chamber of Commerce ambassadors and my colleagues raise up the importance of our organization and this work, and later, as I networked with other Chamber members, I was surprised by the personal stories people told.

One Chamber ambassador spoke of caring for his grandfather as a child. Another person told me about a family member who had recently come into a Good Samaritan Society location and was thriving.

I say I was surprised, but I shouldn't have been.

As my headline says, aging is everyone's story, even if one doesn't necessarily think of him or herself as experiencing aging.

As I've been reflecting on last night's anecdotes, I've been wondering how to change my perspective as a storyteller. Of course I still want to listen intently to my sources, whether they are talking to me about life coaching or the loss of a family member.

And I still want to craft a compelling read.

But.

Working in senior care I have realized that people don't want to talk about aging, and many people put off thinking about it as well.

So how can I tell stories in such a way that will help spark conversations, or thoughts, or help caregivers feel less stressed? How can I use my craft to help others recognize that we all— if we're lucky —will share in the story of aging?

If you don't think about the aging experience, either as it will affect you or as it is impacting a loved one, what would it take to get you thinking about it? Crisis? Death?

Please don't wait for these things to be the catalyst that spurs you to action.