The ten stories: Intergenerational transfer of values

A troubling phenomenon for caregivers of elderly parents is their tendency to tell the same stories over and over. Repeated storytelling raises concerns about cognitive decline and memory loss and is often considered a disturbing harbinger of the possible onset of dementia.

This research aims to show that repeatedly told stories are important vehicles for intergenerational transmission of values.

Using a narrative inquiry approach, this research involved structured interviews with middle-aged adult children, asking them to tell us the stories they felt they were hearing or had heard repeatedly from their aging parent. Interviews were taped and transcribed, then coded for temporality, purpose and content.

Based on 126 stories told to 13 participants, it can be confirmed that there are approximately ten stories that older parents repeatedly tell to their adult children, mostly about experiences in their teens and twenties. The majority of the stories are told for the purpose of consolidating the elder's identity or sharing wisdom with the adult child. Key themes in the stories include seeking a better life, youthful fun, upholding standards, sticking together and doing what's right. These themes reflect the significant events and prevailing values of the early to mid-twentieth century.

This research offers a more constructive way for caregivers to hear the repeated stories told by their aging parents and to offer their loved one the gift of knowing they have been seen and heard.