PROPOSAL TYPE
Working Group
SEEKING
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking Specific Expertise
RELATED TOPICS
- Advocacy
- Memory
- Oral History
ABSTRACT
By 2030, according to an oft-reported statistic, one in five Americans will be 65 years of age or older. As the baby boomer generation experienced some important historical events, we believe it imperative to merge the fields of public history and elder/hospice care to provide two outcomes: 1. to provide a new field of work for historians in the field of elder care, and 2. to provide emotional support for not only the elder adult but their families during a difficult transitional moment.
DESCRIPTION
For this proposal, our hope is that we can find scholars in the fields of aging and mental health who have either worked with such oral history projects, have implemented similar programming at their institutions with proven results, or are interested in learning more and helping to develop this potential field. We are looking specifically for a gerontological psychologist as well, but are aware that we may not find one within the public history field.
We also wish to discuss ideas on the best way to get this field off the ground–should we begin by creating curricula for university M.A programs to teach the next wave of public historians? Should we create a non-profit organization that can fundraise on a larger scale and provides salaries for public historians? Anyone who may be interested in providing their expertise or feedback to the working group is welcome to reach out.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly: Sara Jane Ruggles, Auburn Crest Hospice, [email protected]
ALL FEEDBACK AND OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY JULY 7, 2022. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
As an aside, I think the population you are talking about may be more Gen X than Boomer.
I think your best bet for finding panelists will be to identify projects of this nature taking shape in and around Atlanta. It is also possible that this will work best as a working group, so you can put out a call that will help you identify folks interested in similar research.
Agree this population is Gen X and older Millennials. This proposal would be strengthened with a mention of preserving memories and collecting oral histories about 2/3 life changing events. For example, 9/11, Clinton/Lewinsky Affair, 2008 Election.
It is interesting to see how the present becomes the past and how active participants of the events become witnesses to history. It would be interesting to have in the panel the people who experienced in doing oral history with both the witnesses of earlier past (WW2, 1950s etc) and with the “new witnesses”. Which part of their knowledge and experience is transferable? What new factors should be taken into consideration while working with “new witnesses”? As for the therapeutical part of public history addressed to elderly population, perhaps this part of the panel could be expanded to include other forms of the public history practices, not only collecting testimonies FROM the people but also addressing programs, events etc. TO the older part of the population. Again, what is common with general public history here and what is specific for elderly public?
I actually remember that Dr. Shelley Bookspan, an established public historian, did projects of this nature some years ago. Also, quite a few of our oral history colleagues are seeing this work as valuable. I would suggest that you connect with some of these oral historians who are already doing this work. I’m sorry that I’m not coming up with any particular person just now, but there have been some heartfelt and amazing projects. They probably also have some ideas about models for doing this work.