Reminiscence therapy

"[3] This form of therapeutic intervention respects the life and experiences of the individual with the aim to help the patient maintain good mental health.

It appears to provide them with a sense of overall life satisfaction and coping skills, and may also help to ameliorate the symptoms of depression and dementia.

[11] Different ways to make these memories more meaningful are to ask questions which suggest the importance of the event as well as using historical materials from ones past.

While there have been many studies done on reminiscence therapy lately, Butler and Erikson remain the two researchers most associated with this field of work.

The notion can be a comforting one that instead of being fearful patients that participate in the disengagement aspect of reminiscence theory will no longer be afraid but empowered when meeting their end.

Ego Integrity Theory is based on the individual having a sense of fulfillment and success when looking back on their life and accomplishments.

Reminiscence can provide a mechanism by which individuals adapt to changes that occur throughout life Continuity Theory requires the effective use of remote memory.

[14] Reminiscence therapy makes use of life events by having participants vocally recall episodic memories from their past.

[14] It has often been used in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, as it provides a sense of continuity in one's life and therefore may aid these types of transitions.

[19] However, there is some evidence that RT can improve quality of life, cognition, communication and possibly mood in people with dementia in some circumstances, although all the benefits were small.

A recent Cochrane review (2018) concluded that reminiscence therapy can improve quality of life, cognition, communication and possibly mood in people with dementia in some circumstances, although all the benefits were small.

[13][33] Essentially, these researchers argue reminiscence therapy works because it increases the patient's ability to cope and deal with new situations effectively.

Integrative and instrumental reminiscence therapy helped participants' affect improve over the long term by significantly decreasing depressive symptoms.

[13] Another study found that after 12 weeks of integrative reminiscence therapy, institutionalized older veterans experienced significant decreases in depressive symptoms.

[19] Older adults with depressive symptoms frequently reminisce as a way to refresh bitter memories, reduce boredom, and prepare for death from Webster's taxonomy (as opposed to conversation, teach/inform, intimacy maintenance, problem solving, identity).

The randomized study found significant improvements in both the MMSE and CSDD scores pre to post test, which is an encouraging sign that reminiscence therapy has a positive effect in helping both cognitive and emotional functions for the demented elderly.

Finally, the study also showed improvements in both TORS and the Daycare Evaluation Table scores for the reminiscence group over the control, meaning the participants were happier, had improved quality of daily life, and were more attentive to treatment, compared to pre-treatment and versus control group results.

[17] Those with Alzheimer's disease experienced significant improvement of withdrawal (so they withdrew less and interacted with others more) compared with the control group immediately after intervention.

Participants suffering from vascular dementia showed significant improvement of withdrawal and cognitive function compared with the control immediately after intervention and after a 6-month follow-up.

[17] Sustained intervention may be required to maintain these effects over time, especially in elderly people with Alzheimer's disease whose improvement in withdrawal was no longer seen after 6 months.

[40] A case-study of an 88-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer's disease showed that he experienced improved cognitive functioning after individual reminiscence therapy.

[41] To evaluate the changes the patients who undergo reminiscence therapy various behavioural measures are used and recently, brain imaging has begun to be a part of the assessment after treatment.

The most frequent characteristics used to measure the outcome of reminiscence therapy on the patients involved are:[46] In patients with vascular dementia, a significant increase in cortical glucose metabolism in bilateral anterior cingulate and in the left inferior temporal lobe, which are areas important for social interaction and remote memories, respectively.

[46] Many specific groups have been targeted for studying the effects of reminiscence therapy and were evaluated using different measures based on their previously existing condition and the problems associated with it.

[47] Those with Alzheimer's Disease had improved blood flow to areas in brain, as previously discussed, and positive changes in evaluated behavioural traits.

At a follow-up depression, other indicators of mental health, well-being, ego-integrity, cognitive performance, death preparation all remained to be improved from pre treatment.

[48] Those who experienced various major life events showed improved mental stability including a decrease in depressive symptoms and anxiety.

[50] Institutionalized elderly male veterans showed increased self-esteem and life satisfaction and a decrease in symptoms of depression who were involved in a 12-week reminiscence therapy program compared to those that were not.

[19] The Glenner Town Square[51] is a standalone demonstration project of reminiscence therapy focused on those who seem to have Alzheimer's or some (other) form of dementia.

[1] Glenner's goal is described as "capture the years between 1953 and 1961[1]: p.28  so that project participants are calmly back in a time period to recollect ages 10 to 30, when "our strongest memories are formed."