New Tools Help Seniors Leave Their Legacies

by Lynn Wilson, Founder of The CareGiver Partnership

Tell your life story.

There’s never been a better time to take advantage of legacy tools. From documenting a personal or family history to leaving heartfelt communications, new tools help individuals leave lasting memories.

One of the greatest gifts we can leave for future generations is to share memories and family traditions. As part of our family caregiver mission, we introduce new tools that take a multimedia approach to telling stories.

Your children want to know about your own childhood, how you fell in love and how it felt to become a parent. Finding a way to let loved ones read your words, listen to your voice and watch your mannerisms is a priceless gift.

In our business, we often assist those who care for Alzheimer’s patients. Fortunately, all these tools also can help capture memories early in the disease.

Here are resources for those looking to tell their stories:

• Heartfelt Celebrations was created to reshape how we approach and celebrate life stories and end-of-life remembrances. It brings stories to life and offers ways to share them, including hardcover books, DVDs and customizable keepsakes. Services include celebration-of-life events, document management, and memorial celebrations ranging from a balloon release to a space flight. Heartfelt Celebrations’ promise: “If you can dream it, Heartfelt Celebrations can make it happen.” Because of its wide range of products and services, prices vary.
• P.S. I Love You Letters is a service that archives heartfelt, handwritten letters to loved ones, which are later delivered in accordance with the customer’s instructions. It’s ideal people of all ages —seniors who wish to preserve memories and express gratitude, police officers and firefighters who are exposed to danger on any given work day, or anyone who realizes how quickly and unexpectedly life can end. Letters also can be used to pass along important financial and estate planning information. Costs are $129 for stationery, lifetime storage and delivery of three letters, or $159 for five letters.
• Legacy Story Works is a Madison, Wis.-based service that documents personal history, family history or multigenerational business history. Its producers, who are experienced in television documentary and corporate video production, use on-camera interviews blended with still photographs, home movies and letters. The Legacy Story is then delivered on a DVD or hosted on a personal Legacy Story Works Web page. Prices start at $1,500. For more information, see The CareGiver Partnership blog post, or call Kathleen at 608-235-3485.

The CareGiver Partnership is a national direct-to-consumer retailer of home healthcare products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, daily living aids, nutrition support and more. In its sixth year of providing products and services that help caregivers and loved ones maintain personal dignity, the company also offers an online library of more than 1,200 family caregiver resources and personal service by experts in caregiving. Call 1-800-985-1353 or visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com.