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Historic photos spark mobility, conversation, healing

Downtown Sioux Falls 1960s
South Dakota State Archives
Downtown Sioux Falls circa 1960

This interview is from SDPB's daily public-affairs show, In the Moment, hosted by Lori Walsh.

A single photograph can spark a thousand memories, even among those whose memory isn't what it used to be. For today's "Images of the Past" segment, we talk with Kim Brakke of Edgewood Healthcare about a historic photo project in some of their long-term care facilities.

Brakke says the photos (many provided by the South Dakota state archives) can encourage residents to move throughout common spaces, recall past events, and engage in conversations with other residents or staff and family members. It's a simple idea with implications for mobility, memory retention, and emotional healing.

Brakke also suggests family members hold tightly to a loved ones oft-repeated stories and use those memories as ways to connect with older adults when their memories become less reliable.

See more about the project on our "Images of the Past" page, and the next time an elder tells you a story for the "millionth time," consider whether the telling is as important as the story itself.

Lori Walsh is the host and senior producer of In the Moment.