Objective: The objectives of this research were two-fold: (1) to obtain oral histories from older adults about their personal experiences in World War II and life in the 40s and (2) to evaluate the reciprocal effects on the elders and the nursing students who interviewed them.
Design: Naturalistic inquiry guided data collection and analysis. Qualitative interview data and open-ended evaluative data were collected from older adult informants. Qualitative data was also obtained from the students’ written reflections on what they learned from participating in this oral history project.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-six interviews were completed with nursing home and community residents, age 74-92. An open-ended interview guide was used to collect data about experiences from both the military and the home front during WWII. All interviews were tape recorded and transcribed. Case reports were developed from each transcript, summarizing the informant’s oral history. Follow-up visits were scheduled to verify the accuracy of the data, and each participant received a copy of their memoir. Evaluative data were collected during the follow-up visit. Student interviewers also completed evaluations at the conclusion of data collection and again after writing memoirs from the interview transcripts and completing follow-up visits. Researchers used constant comparative analysis to analyze the historical and the evaluative data.
Results: Evaluative data from informants identified interesting differences between the nursing home and the community sample. Both groups described “remembering” as a personal benefit. Differences emerged indicating that while the community group placed a higher value on the written memoir, the nursing home group valued the company more. Both groups identified more benefits for others than for self. Benefits for others included learning from the past and an increased knowledge of history. The community sample expressed that they were happy to participate and enjoyed the experience. Nursing home participants expressed similar emotions and stressed that they were pleased that someone wanted to hear their stories. Benefits for student participants included an appreciation of the contributions of elders and an increased knowledge about World War II and life in the 40s. Themes such as rationing versus wastefulness emerged when students compared life in the 40s with life in today’s society. They also gained personal knowledge of the research process and refined communication skills. Interviews in this project were completed in the fall of 2001. Students discussed how the events of 9/11/01 influenced their feelings regarding this project. Students expressed an increased global awareness and an increased respect for what people did during World War II.
Conclusion: Oral history projects provide intergenerational opportunities with reciprocal benefits. Memories of World War II and life in the 40s provide a meaningful topic for oral histories that can enhance quality of life for elders, preserve history, and link generations.
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