Our lives provide a wonderful opportunity to learn life lessons and experience the full gamut of emotions. If we are blessed to be on this planet long enough, we witness the cyclical nature of our life. The innocence of childhood moves toward the responsibilities of adulthood and once more to the clarity and simplicity of old age. We often do not realize both ourselves and others are getting older. The awakening happens as major birthdays approach or health issues remind us of our finite years.

The elderly in our current world are often isolated from everyday community life. The days of multi-generational living have largely been replaced by age specific care. Lifestyle and retirement villages have become popular transitions for the elderly, not unlike the segregating of our little ones in childcare centres. In both professional settings, the physical and social needs can be met effectively and when they are high quality provide immense benefit to each age group. What may be the missing ingredient is the gathering of wisdom and insight from the elderly by each successive generation.

The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person

Andy Roomy

Several years ago, I volunteered as a community visitor at a high dependency aged care facility. I was matched with a beautiful lady in her nineties who through suffering physical injury had become increasing dependant on others. She had originally come from Austria to Australia with her husband and once he had died, she had no family and a small circle of neighbours and friends to support her.

Our tentative beginnings of connection soon forged into an incredibly special friendship. We shared our lives and stories. For me she became my wise woman crone. Her perspective was sharp and insightful as I brought the outer world into her room and she shared her remembering and current journey with me. I noticed her ability to advocate for her needs as her physical ability decreased and dependence grew. She tenderly supported the age care workers who came into her room to deliver meals, help her with personal care and attend to her medical needs. Sadly, for me, she died eighteen months into our connection. Ironically, it was at the time I had just arrived in her homeland Austria on an overseas holiday. She had never returned so in that moment I felt a soul connection between our lived experience. In a sense I had taken her home.

As we age there is a sudden realization that life is precious. There becomes a need to share our stories and wisdom. The impetus may often be that we remember our parents and grandparents and wish that in some way they had recorded the meaningful parts of their lives. When available, these tangible insights give a window into another era and another viewpoint on living.

Old people were young people, before young people were people  

Tom Wyatt

The challenge now is to begin to share your accumulated memories and wisdom. Here are some starting points.

• Collect family photos and write short notes on the back to indicate when and where it was taken. Who is in the photo? What is their connection to the family?

• Recall random yet important emotional memories. They may be connected to life events for example births, weddings, family holidays. Write or speak the memories to invite your personal insight into these experiences. Keep these memories safely together with the photos.

• Write letters to family members. Each of my children has a letter of my recollections as I anticipated the day they were born. These become unique personal memories that remain beyond a lifetime.

• Engage with family conversation. Believe that the life experience you have is insightful to the issues younger generations are experiencing. Particularly when life is tough, they may draw on the consolation that you experienced something similar and survived beyond or maybe even thrived.

• Sit at the feet of your elders. The time is precious and the urgency to ask about their life recollections and experiences is a priority.

Life provides wonderful insights. Often this is from the people who we are most deeply connected with, our family. Take the time to be present with the older generation while you can. Their insight has been gathered over a lifetime. Also begin to record the memorable moments of your own life to share with future generations of your family.