The use of reminiscences in working with the elderly focussed on improving the quality of their life has developed since the sixties of the past century.The reminiscence therapy belongs among the validation techniques and may help the elderly to cope with difficult phases of his/her life. The reminiscences enable to recapitulate one's life and re-evaluate the most important life events so that one could accept them as a meaningful part of his/her life-story, thereby achieving life integrity. Reminiscing is therefore a natural, inevitable and valuable part of old age as the final phase of the cycle of life. The effect of reminiscence on the health status and quality of life of seniors has been explored since the eighties of the past century. As indicated in review studies, this new effect is not unequivocal, it depends on numerous factors, such as the reminiscence method used, the personality of the elderly and the study design. The effect is mostly measured on a very small sample of respondents which seems to be a major problem. Between 2005 – 2007 the Gerontologic Centre in Prague conducted an extensive research of the effect of the reminiscence therapy on the quality of life and health status of seniors residing in an institution. On a sample of 203 respondents divided into a treated and a control group, the indicators of health status and quality of life before and after the intervention, were measured. The first preliminary results reveal the reminiscence therapy is most beneficial in people with dementia and in people who are active during the therapy. The research was supported by the grant agency of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (IGA 8488 – 3/2005).

Gerontologické centrum Praha

Reminiscence therapy and follow-up of its effect upon the quality of life seniors in institutional care

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