The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Hatice Tel Aydın; Döne Günay

doi:10.51754/cusbed.1633558

The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effect of reminiscence therapy on the level of functionality of individuals aged 65 and over. Method: The sample consisted of 16 residents who lived in a public nursing home between December 2019 and February 2020. Participants were divided into intervention and comparison groups using the simple random sampling method. Reminiscence therapy was performed with each participant in the intervention group for 8 weeks. The comparison group received routine services and were regularly visited for 8 weeks. The data were obtained by the Personal Information Form, Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects, and Mini Mental State Examination. Results: When the pre- and post-reminiscence therapy results were compared, a significant difference was found in the Mini Mental State Examination and Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects scores in the intervention group (p < 0,05). The intervention group had better functional and cognitive competency than the comparison group in the areas of self-care, depression/anxiety, and withdrawal from society. Conclusion: It was concluded that the reminiscence therapy contributed to increase the mental competence and functionality of the participants.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

For the study, ethics committee approval No. 2019-03/40 was obtained from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of a state university and written permission was obtained from the Ministry affiliated to the nursing home where the study was conducted.

References

Bell, S. P., Patel, N., Sonani, R., Badheka, A., & Forman, D. E. (2016). Care of older adults. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, 13(1), 1–7. DOI: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2016.01.019
Chalise, H. N. (2019). Aging: Basic concept. American Journal of Biomedical Science & Research. DOI: 10.34297/AJBSR.2019.01.000503
Chiang, K. J., Lu, R. B., Chu, H., Chang, Y., & Chou, K. R. (2008). Evaluation of the effect of a life review group program on self-esteem and life satisfaction in the elderly. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23(1), 7–10.
Duru Aşiret, G., & Kapucu, S. (2016). The effect of reminiscence therapy on cognition, depression, and activities of daily living for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 29(1), 31–37. DOI: 10.1177/0891988715598233
Esmaeilzadeh, S., & Oz, F. (2020). Effect of psychosocial care model applied in an “elderly day care center” on loneliness, depression, quality of life, and elderly attitude. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 23(2), 189–197. DOI: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_366_19
Fathi, A., Taraghi, Z., Yazdani, J., & Yazdani Charati, J. (2020). The effect of reminiscence therapy on the cognitive status and activities of daily living among elderly people: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics, 20(1), 1–8.
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). “Mini-mental state”: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12(3), 189–198. DOI: 10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6
Güngen, C., Ertan, T., Eker, E., Yaşar, R., & Engin, F. (2002). Reliability and validity of the standardized Mini Mental State Examination in the diagnosis of mild dementia in Turkish population. Turkish Journal of Psychiatry, 13(4), 273–281.

Helmes, E. (1988). Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects (MOSES). Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 24(4), 733–745.
Henkel, L. A., Kris, A., Birney, S., & Krauss, K. (2017). The functions and value of reminiscence for older adults in long-term residential care facilities. Memory, 25(3), 425–435. DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2016.1182554
King, D. B., Cappeliez, P., Canham, S. L., & O’Rourke, N. (2019). Functions of reminiscence in later life: Predicting change in the physical and mental health of older adults over time. Aging & Mental Health, 23(2), 246–254. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1396581
Kirk, M., & Berntsen, D. (2017). Reminiscence therapy may increase subjective well-being in persons with dementia. Ugeskrift for Laeger, 179(12), V09160689. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28330546
Kris, A., & Henkel, L. (2017). Remembering reminiscence. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(5), 3–4. DOI: 10.3928/00989134-20170512-01
Kwak, M., Ha, J. H., Hwang, S. Y., Ingersoll-Dayton, B., & Spencer, B. (2018). Cultural adaptation of a dyadic intervention for Korean couples coping with Alzheimer's disease. Clinical Gerontologist, 41(3), 217–226. DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2017.1366385
Li, M., Lyu, J. H., Zhang, Y., Gao, M. L., Li, W. J., & Ma, X. (2017). The clinical efficacy of reminiscence therapy in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease: Study protocol for a randomized parallel-design controlled trial. Medicine, 96(51), e9381. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000009381
Liberman, R. P. (2009). Recovery from disability: Manual of psychiatric rehabilitation. American Psychiatric Publishing.
Mikkelsen, A., Petersen, S., Dragsted, A. C., & Kristiansen, M. (2019). Social interventions targeting social relations among older people at nursing homes: A qualitative synthesized systematic review. Inquiry, 56, 46958018823929. DOI: 10.1177/0046958018823929
Morris, J. N., Fries, B. E., Mehr, D. R., Hawes, C., Phillips, C., Mor, V., et al. (1994). MDS Cognitive Performance Scale. Journal of Gerontology, 49(4), M174–M182.
Rubenstein, L. Z., Stuck, A. E., Siu, A. L., & Wieland, D. (1991). Impacts of comprehensive geriatric assessment: A systematic review. JAMA, 266(12), 1605–1610.
Sheafor, B. W., & Horejsi, C. R. (2015). Techniques and guidelines for social work practice (pp. 22–23). Pearson. Shellman, J., McDonald, D. D., Ferraro, J., & Milner, E. (2019). Reminiscence about physical activity: A pilot study to reduce pain in older adults. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 12(4), 193–202. DOI: 10.3928/19404921-20190522-02
Shropshire, M. (2020). Reminiscence intervention for community-dwelling older adults without dementia: A literature review. British Journal of Community Nursing, 25(1), 40–44. DOI: 10.12968/bjcn.2020.25.1.40
Siverová, J., & Bužgová, R. (2018). The effect of reminiscence therapy on quality of life, attitudes to ageing, and depressive symptoms in institutionalized elderly adults with cognitive impairment: A quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 27(5), 1430–1439. DOI: 10.1111/inm.12442
Sok, S. R. (2015). Effects of individual reminiscence therapy for older women living alone. International Nursing Review, 62(4), 517–524. DOI: 10.1111/inr.12190
Soygör, H., Duyan, V., Hasgül, E., & Adıbatmaz, M. (2017). Turkish adaptation study of Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects. Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 11(3), 171–179.
Subramaniam, P., & Woods, B. (2012). The impact of individual reminiscence therapy for people with dementia: Systematic review. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 12(5), 545–555. DOI: 10.1586/ern.12.35
Syed Elias, S. M., Neville, C., & Scott, T. (2015). The effectiveness of group reminiscence therapy for loneliness, anxiety and depression in older adults in long-term care: A systematic review. Geriatric Nursing, 36(5), 372–380. DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2015.05.004
Syed Elias, S. M., Petriwskyj, A., Scott, T., & Neville, C. (2019). Spiritual reminiscence therapy for older people with loneliness, anxiety and depression living in a residential aged care facility in Malaysia: A qualitative approach. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 38(1), E25–E30. DOI: 10.1111/ajag.12598
Tseng, M. L., Islam, M. S., Karia, N., Fauzi, F. A., & Afrin, S. (2019). A literature review on green supply chain management: Trends and future challenges. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 141, 145–162. DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.10.009
Turkish Statistical Institute. (2023). Population projections, 2023–2100. https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=Nufus-Projeksiyonlari-2023-2100-53699
Turkish Statistical Institute. (2024). Statistics on older persons, 2024. https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=Istatistiklerle-Yaslilar-2024-54079
United Nations Population Fund. (2021). UNFPA. https://www.unfpa.org/
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2020). World population ageing 2020 highlights: Living arrangements of older persons. United Nations.
Verver, D., Merten, H., Robben, P., & Wagner, C. (2018). Patient centered care – A systematic review of older patients’ views and experiences. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 82, 90–101.
Watt, L. M., & Cappeliez, P. (2000). Integrative reminiscence and adaptation to difficulty among older adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 55(4), S197–S206.
Westerhof, G. J., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2014). Celebrating fifty years of research and applications in reminiscence and life review: State of the art and new directions. Journal of Aging Studies, 29, 107–114. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaging.2014.02.003
World Health Organization. (2015). World report on ageing and health. https://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/en/
Wu, D., Chen, T., Yang, H., Gong, Q., & Hu, X. (2018). Verbal responses, depressive symptoms, reminiscence functions and cognitive emotion regulation in older women receiving individual reminiscence therapy. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(13–14), 2609–2619. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14156

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Health Care Administration

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Hatice Tel Aydın
0000-0002-1518-8080
Türkiye

Döne Günay ^*
0000-0002-8721-6028
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

August 20, 2025

Publication Date

August 30, 2025

Submission Date

February 5, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 17, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 10 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.51754/cusbed.1633558

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA43PW47CN

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Tel Aydın, H., & Günay, D. (2025). The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Instıtute of Health Sciences Journal, 10(2), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.51754/cusbed.1633558

AMA

1.Tel Aydın H, Günay D. The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Cumhuriyet Univ Health Sci Inst. 2025;10(2):103-110. doi:10.51754/cusbed.1633558

Chicago

Tel Aydın, Hatice, and Döne Günay. 2025. “The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Instıtute of Health Sciences Journal 10 (2): 103-10. https://doi.org/10.51754/cusbed.1633558.

EndNote

Tel Aydın H, Günay D (August 1, 2025) The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Instıtute of Health Sciences Journal 10 2 103–110.

IEEE

[1]H. Tel Aydın and D. Günay, “The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, J Cumhuriyet Univ Health Sci Inst, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 103–110, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.51754/cusbed.1633558.

ISNAD

Tel Aydın, Hatice - Günay, Döne. “The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Instıtute of Health Sciences Journal 10/2 (August 1, 2025): 103-110. https://doi.org/10.51754/cusbed.1633558.

JAMA

1.Tel Aydın H, Günay D. The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Cumhuriyet Univ Health Sci Inst. 2025;10:103–110.

MLA

Tel Aydın, Hatice, and Döne Günay. “The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Instıtute of Health Sciences Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, Aug. 2025, pp. 103-10, doi:10.51754/cusbed.1633558.

Vancouver

1.Hatice Tel Aydın, Döne Günay. The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on the Functionality of Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Cumhuriyet Univ Health Sci Inst. 2025 Aug. 1;10(2):103-10. doi:10.51754/cusbed.1633558