Cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects of reminiscence group therapy on demented elderly. A randomized controlled trial of a specific reminiscence approach to promote the well-being of nursing home residents with dementia. Reality orientation and reminiscence therapy. A controlled cross-over study of elderly confused people.
Twenty-seven demented elderly nursing home residents were given either reminiscence group therapy or supportive group therapy or were assigned to a no-treatment control group. The self-reported level of depression in participants given reminiscence therapy was positively affected compared to participants in the supportive therapy and control groups, but no significant effects were found for cognitive or behavioral functioning. Results are discussed in terms of the issue of the applicability of reminiscence therapy for cognitively impaired persons, the appropriateness of the measures used in this study to assess depression, cognitive ability and behavioral functioning, and in conjunction with clinical observations made during the process of therapy. To date, no firm conclusions can be reached regarding the effectiveness of reminiscence for dementia. Researchers have emphasized that there is an urgent need for more systematic research in the area.
                A single-blinded, parallel-groups (one intervention, one comparison, and one no-intervention group) randomized controlled trial (RCT) was adopted to investigate whether a specific reminiscence program leads to higher levels of psychosocial well-being in nursing home residents with dementia. The intervention adopted a life-story approach, while the comparison group provided friendly discussions to control for any changes in outcome as a result of social contacts and attention. The Social Engagement Scale (SES) and Well-being/Ill-being Scale (WIB) were the outcome measures used. The outcomes of the groups were examined with reference to the baseline (T0), immediately (T1), and six weeks (T2) after intervention. The final sample had 101 subjects (control group: n=30; comparison group: n=35; intervention group: n = 36). Using multivariate analysis with repeated measures, no significant differences in outcome were found between groups at either T1 or T2. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed for each group comparing outcomes between T1 and T0, T2 and T1, and T2 and T0. Significant differences were observed in the intervention group when comparing T1 and T0 WIB (p = .014), but not for the other groups.
                Although the intervention did not lead to significant differences between the three groups over time, there was a significant improvement in psychosocial well-being for the intervention group. We compared reality orientation with reminiscence therapy for elderly people in a large residential home, using a controlled cross-over design. Both kinds of therapy group were enjoyed by both staff and residents, and enabled staff to get to know moderately and severely confused residents. The group that received reality orientation followed by reminiscence therapy showed improvement in cognitive and behavioural measures which was not found in the other two groups. It may be important to use reality orientation techniques with confused residents before involving them in a reminiscence group.
Whilst four suitable randomized controlled trials looking at reminiscence therapy for dementia were found, several were very small studies, or were of relatively low quality, and each examined different types of reminiscence work. Although there are a number of promising indications, in view of the limited number and quality of studies, the variation in types of reminiscence work reported and the variation in results between studies, the review highlights the urgent need for more and better designed trials so that more robust conclusions may be drawn.