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StoryCorps, the National Oral History Project, Partners With San Francisco Institute on Aging

StoryCorps was created by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur "Genius" Grant recipient Dave Isay. This unprecedented project has traveled to every corner of America, instructing and inspiring individuals to record their stories in sound. StoryCorps is the largest multi-year oral history project ever undertaken. Since its launch in October 2003, StoryCorps' has collected over 23,000 stories in all. In 2006, StoryCorps launched the Memory Loss Initiative to support and encourage people with memory loss to share their stories.

"Looking a loved one in the eyes and asking about his or her life is one of the greatest gifts we can give one another," says Dave Isay. "The simple act of listening tells them how much they matter, and documenting that conversation for posterity tells them that they won't be forgotten."

Participants in the Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center will have an opportunity to record their personal stories with the help of their families or caregivers.

"Our program participants come from such diverse backgrounds and have truly amazing stories. We see the power of those stories on a daily basis," says Tracy Chesna McCloud, Program Director for the Alzheimer's Day Care. "Giving families and their loved ones this chance to reconnect over these stories and have them recorded is something we are looking forward to offering."

StoryCorps interviews are conducted between two people who know and care about each other. A trained facilitator guides the participants through the interview process and handles the technical aspects of the recording. At the end of a 40-minute session, the participants walk away with a CD of their interview. With their permission, a second copy becomes part of an archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.

About Institute on Aging

Institute on Aging (IOA) is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that has helped thousands of Bay Area seniors to remain living in their own homes for over 20 years. IOA offers guidance and a variety of resources to seniors and disabled adults from assessment to healthcare to bookkeeping. Services are provided in day centers, in our offices, and in the home.

The Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center (ADCRC) operates as a part of the Adult Day Health Center and offers healthcare and social activities to people with moderate to severe memory loss while providing respite for their caregivers. Specialized activities and an experienced staff promote mental stimulation, socialization and personal successes in a comfortable and supportive environment. The ADCRC is also a resource for the community offering caregiver support groups, information about local dementia services, and trainings for both professionals and families.

About StoryCorps

StoryCorps is the largest oral history project ever undertaken. Founded in 2003 by Dave Isay, StoryCorps gives pairs of participants the opportunity to leave a legacy in sound for future generations. One copy of the interview goes home with the participants on a CD, a second copy goes to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. To date, StoryCorps has recorded more than 23,000 audio interviews with over 40,000 participants. Excerpts of select stories are broadcast weekly on NPR's Morning Edition. For its ground-breaking public service, StoryCorps was awarded a special Institutional Peabody Award in 2007, an honor bestowed only once or twice a decade. More information can be found at http://www.storycorps.net.

In 2006, StoryCorps launched an initiative to reach out to people affected by memory loss. Our aim is to support and encourage people with memory loss to share their stories. The project is guided by an Advisory Board of nationally recognized leaders in the field of memory loss, and all interviews are facilitated by our specially trained staff. Dedicated funding for the Memory Loss Initiative is provided by supporters Joseph and Carol Reich.

SOURCE Institute on Aging