The Effect of a Reminiscence Program in Institutionalized Older Persons with Dementia: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to analyze the impact of a reminiscence program, particularly in the dimensions of cognition, autobiographical memory, mood and behavior in older persons with dementia, institutionalized. Material and Methods: This study was a one-group pre-test and post-test design investigation with no control group. The design planned was a cross-sectional, exploratory and descriptive investigation. Six subjects participated in five weekly individual reminiscence sessions. Changes in the outcome measures were examined through Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale Non-Cog and Autobiographical Memory Test. Results: After the intervention, participants exhibited improvements in the entire outcome measures, although the differences were not statistically significant, except for the time of latency on AMT (Z=-1.997; ρ=0.046). Conclusions: Reminiscence therapy can be helpful to maintain or improve mood, cognitive function, altered behavior and self-esteem, however further investigations are needed to redefine the results, and using more standardized research. This study supported the idea that that reminiscence therapy, directed to positive and specific life events, may improve autobiographical memory, and indirectly some symptoms associated with cognitive impairment.