Recording a life story with a person suffering from advanced dementia?

[Red Levido]

Can anyone give me some helpful tips on how to record the life story of a lovely gentleman who has advanced dementia?
I have been recording oral histories for over 30 years, (I am 65) and I have been asked to record the life story of this man by his wife. My plan is to ask the wife to tell me her husband's life story with him sitting with us whilst I record it. I have very little experience of interaction with a dementia sufferer and I want to make this experience as pleasant and unstressful as possible. I thought that by the wife relating her husband's story to me, he would have the opportunity to contribute whenever he could remember anything as we go along through his life story. We will use photograph albums and memorabilia as well and also he loves to sing, so I plan on asking him to sing some of his songs.
My question is: is there anyone out there who has experience of this and if so, can you please assist me with your experience?
Thanking you,

 

[BeckyJan]

Hello and welcome to Talking Point.

Sadly I have little experience of this apart from keeping an album of pictures and odd notes about my husband.

However if I can direct you to a Social Group which one member has started. If you look across the top line where New Posts etc, you will find one Community - scroll down and there is a Social Group called Life Stories. This is a link:
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/group.php?groupid=45