A Systematic Review of the Use of Technology for Reminiscence Therapy

Abstract

As the segment of the population 65 years of age or older continues to grow, the number of individuals with dementia increases proportionally, highlighting the need to design therapies that meet the social and emotional needs of people with dementia. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are potential venues for supporting the delivery of such therapies, including reminiscence therapy (RT), which is a non-pharmacological intervention involving the prompting of past memories, often with artifacts such as old photographs or music for therapeutic benefits such as the facilitation of social interactions or the increase of self-esteem. This paper systematically examines the scientific literature on the use of ICT for facilitating RT to assess the current state of the evidence and identify future trends. We searched the PubMed (1966–2013), ACM (1954–2013), and PsycINFO (1908–2013) repositories using the keywords dementia and reminiscence. Three hundred eighty-six articles were retrieved, 44 of which met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings of the systematic review include that there are benefits to using ICT for RT interventions. Some of these benefits are access to rich and engaging multimedia reminiscence materials, opportunities for people with dementia to participate in social interactions and take ownership of conversations, and a reduction of barriers due to motor deficits during interactions with media. Future studies should explore the types and content of media beneficial to individuals at different stages of dementia.

Pinteresce

“…One of the challenges faced by seniors is increasing social isolation from family and friends as they age [7]. It is common for seniors to develop age-related cognitive impairments as they grow older.…”

Remote Care Technology: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Meta-Analyses

“…Concerning mental and behavioral disorders, six studies were retrieved: two studies [18,34] reported on the use of videoconferencing [18] and interactive web-based applications [34] to support people with psychosis; two studies [15,54] reported on the use of videoconferencing [15], interactive web-based applications [15], and computer-based applications [54] to support patients with depression; one study reported on the use of computer-based applications [24] to support patients with insomnia, and another study reported on the use of interactive web-based applications and computer-based applications [37] to support patients with dementia.…”

“…Finally, one study report on the use interactive web-based applications and computer based applications to support people with dementia, and promote their participation and social interactions (e.g., to take ownership of conversations) [37]. However, the high variability of the primary studies' design and respective aims made a quantitative determination of how different aspects of might contribute very difficult [37].…”

“…However, the high variability of the primary studies' design and respective aims made a quantitative determination of how different aspects of might contribute very difficult [37].…”

A Systematic Review of Literature Reporting on Studies Analysing Technologies for Ageing in Place to Support Community-Dwelling Older Adults

“…psychosis, depression or dementia). The literature reports the effectiveness of different remote treatments and highlights participant satisfaction (Alvarez-Jimenez et al 2014;García-Lizana and Muño-Mayorga, 2010;Highton-Williamson, Priebe and Giacco, 2015;Lazar, Thompson and Demiris, 2014;Richards and Richardson, 2012;Sharp, Kobak and Osman, 2011). Although several reviews of reviews and meta-analysis related to technologies for ageing in place reported studies focusing on older adults with chronic diseases, there is a lack of systematized evidence of the state of the art research when looking for community-dwelling older adults without specific chronic conditions.…”