The Preservation Of Memory

An increase in average life expectancy has given rise to a number of pressing health challenges for the 21st century. Age-related memory loss, whether due to a neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease, or as a product of the normal process of aging, is perhaps the most significant of the health problems of old age presently confronting our society. The Preservation of Memory explores non-invasive, empirically sound strategies that can be implemented to ensure long-lasting and effective retention of information. The chapters in this volume describe and evaluate both well-established and novel methods for improving and strengthening memory, for people with and without dementia. They also look at ways in which effective detection and care can be implemented, and describe empirical findings that can be translated into everyday practice. The contributors take a multidisciplinary approach, motivated by the desire to look beyond and across boundaries to find new areas of knowledge and new opportunities. The Preservation of Memory will be useful reading for students and researchers focusing upon memory, aging and dementia, and also for mental health practitioners, social workers, and carers of persons living with dementia or other memory impairments.

Mount Vernon, despite its importance as the estate of George Washington, is subject to the same threats of time as any property and has required considerable resources and organization to endure as a historic site and house. This book provides a window into the broad scope of preservation work undertaken at Mount Vernon over the course of more than 160 years and places this work within the context of America’s regional and national preservation efforts. It was at Mount Vernon, beginning with efforts in 1853, that the American tradition of historic preservation truly took hold. As the nation’s oldest historic house museum, Mount Vernon offers a unique opportunity to chronicle preservation challenges and successes over time as well as to forecast those of the future. Stewards of Memory features essays by senior scholars who helped define American historic preservation in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, including Carl R. Lounsbury, George W. McDaniel, and Carter L. Hudgins. Their contributions—complemented by those of Scott E. Casper, Lydia Mattice Brandt, and Mount Vernon’s own preservation scholars—offer insights into the changing nature of the field. The multifaceted story told here will be invaluable to students of historic preservation, historic site professionals, specialists in the preservation field, and any reader with an interest in American historic preservation and Mount Vernon. Support provided by the David Bruce Smith Book Fund and the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon.

An increase in average life expectancy has given rise to a number of pressing health challenges for the 21st century. Age-related memory loss, whether due to a neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease, or as a product of the normal process of aging, is perhaps the most significant of the health problems of old age presently confronting our society. The Preservation of Memory explores non-invasive, empirically sound strategies that can be implemented to ensure long-lasting and effective retention of information. The chapters in this volume describe and evaluate both well-established and novel methods for improving and strengthening memory, for people with and without dementia. They also look at ways in which effective detection and care can be implemented, and describe empirical findings that can be translated into everyday practice. The contributors take a multidisciplinary approach, motivated by the desire to look beyond and across boundaries to find new areas of knowledge and new opportunities. The Preservation of Memory will be useful reading for students and researchers focusing upon memory, aging and dementia, and also for mental health practitioners, social workers, and carers of persons living with dementia or other memory impairments.

Historic preservation is a cultural movement gaining momentum and adherents throughout Europe and the United States. How do we decide what to preserve and how to preserve? Who benefits from the efforts of preservationists, curators, developers, and other "symbolic bankers" to safeguard an increasing variety of structures for future generations? Diane Barthel raises these and other questions in this important new book. Taking a comparative approach, Barthel finds that preservation in Britain has largely been an elite enterprise aimed at preserving traditional values. In the United States, by contrast, the pattern is much more dynamic and democratic, though also more permeated by commercialism. Is preservation becoming another means of consuming history, like media representations or "historic" shopping outlets? Or does it have a special significance as a very tangible means of getting in touch with our collective and individual pasts? These and other issues--including war and remembrance, agrarian and industrial preservation, and religious preservation in a secular society--demonstrate the significance of what Barthel calls "the Preservation Project" and why we all have a stake in how our history is reconstructed and interpreted.

Charleston, South Carolina, today enjoys a reputation as a destination city for cultural and heritage tourism. In A Golden Haze of Memory, Stephanie E. Yuhl looks back to the crucial period between 1920 and 1940, when local leaders developed Charleston's trademark image as "America's Most Historic City." Eager to assert the national value of their regional cultural traditions and to situate Charleston as a bulwark against the chaos of modern America, these descendants of old-line families downplayed Confederate associations and emphasized the city's colonial and early national prominence. They created a vibrant network of individual artists, literary figures, and organizations--such as the all-white Society for the Preservation of Negro Spirituals--that nurtured architectural preservation, art, literature, and tourism while appropriating African American folk culture. In the process, they translated their selective and idiosyncratic personal, familial, and class memories into a collective identity for the city. The Charleston this group built, Yuhl argues, presented a sanitized yet highly marketable version of the American past. Their efforts invited attention and praise from outsiders while protecting social hierarchies and preserving the political and economic power of whites. Through the example of this colorful southern city, Yuhl posits a larger critique about the use of heritage and demonstrates how something as intangible as the recalled past can be transformed into real political, economic, and social power.

This book explores the connections between sound and memory across all electronic media, with a particular focus on radio. Street explores our capacity to remember through sound and how we can help ourselves preserve a sense of self through the continuity of memory. In so doing, he analyzes how the brain is triggered by the memory of programs, songs, and individual sounds. He then examines the growing importance of sound archives, community radio and current research using GPS technology for the history of place, as well as the potential for developing strategies to aid Alzheimer's and dementia patients through audio memory.

This unique text/reference advocates a novel forgetful approach to dealing with personal multimedia content in the long run, which is inspired by the effectiveness of human forgetting as a mechanism for helping us to stay focused on important things. The text presents theoretical foundations, technologies, applications, and case study results that help the reader to understand the problems and challenges associated with personal digital preservation, and the solutions that can be developed in response to these challenges. Topics and features: Highlights the value of an intelligent and selective approach to personal multimedia preservation, involving managed forgetting and contextualized remembering; considers how a conceptual understanding of human memory function can be used to inspire the design of digital managed preservation and forgetting; discusses methods that endow computers with capabilities to understand digital content, in order to support intelligent preservation decisions; examines the assessment of the importance of information items, introducing the concepts of memory buoyancy and preservation value; reviews methods for preserving the context associated with a digital item, and for assessing how this context evolves over time; proposes a reference model for the Preserve-or-Forget (PoF) approach which is integrative, value-driven, brain-inspired, forgetful, and evolution-aware; describes the integration of preservation functionalities in a Personal Information Management (PIM) application; presents a user study on a photo selection task, using the results to design methods for automatically selecting important photos from personal collections. This interdisciplinary volume provides significant insights from computer science, engineering and psychology that will be of great interest to researchers involved in multimedia and software engineering, multimedia preservation, cultural informatics, digital heritage, and the digital humanities.

"Capturing Time: A Guide to Making and Preserving Lasting Memories" takes readers on a journey through the art and science of memory creation. This insightful book delves into the importance of making memories last and explores the various ways to enhance memory formation and retention. From understanding the intricacies of memory to engaging the senses and living in the present moment, each chapter provides practical tips and creative ideas for creating meaningful and enduring memories. Readers will discover the secrets behind capturing moments through photography, exploring sensory experiences, and embracing mindfulness techniques. The book also guides them in sharing and preserving memories, utilizing digital platforms, and embarking on creative DIY projects. The significance of traditions and rituals in fostering stronger memories is explored, along with the role of relationships in memory formation and the strategies to overcome memory challenges. "Capturing Time" goes beyond the ordinary, offering a holistic approach to memory that encompasses the mind, senses, and relationships. It encourages readers to embrace the impermanence of memories, find joy in the process of creating and reliving them, and reflect on the profound value memories bring throughout life. Whether you're seeking to improve memory, cope with forgetfulness, or simply enrich your life through meaningful experiences, this book is your comprehensive guide to creating and cherishing memories that last a lifetime.