Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Reminiscence Therapy WorksTechniquesWhat RT Can Help WithBenefitsA Word From Verywell

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Reminiscence Therapy Works

Techniques

What RT Can Help With

Benefits

A Word From Verywell

Close

Dr. Robert Butler, a psychiatrist who worked in the area of geriatric medicine in the 1960s, is credited with first exploring the therapeutic value of reminiscence.Because RT is a non-pharmacological form of intervention, it can be widely used.

Reminiscence sessions may be conducted in a formal or informal way, either one-on-one or in a group setting.

The American Psychological Association states that the use of reminiscences or life histories can take place in either written or oral formats.For example, your grandmother might share old war letters from your grandfather with you, or your aunt might talk nostalgically about summer strolls she took in her childhood neighborhood. Sharing memories with loved ones through either method is valuable.

Just asstorytelling is good for your mental health, reminiscing is, too.

Reminiscing can be a type oftalk therapy, where the person in therapy shares memories with their therapist alone or in a group, but it often involves more than conversation. For example, for cognitively impaired seniors especially, the stimulation of the senses often brings back past memories.

When the senses are activated, it makes for more vivid remembering. For example, the scent of a woman’s deceased husband’s aftershave, the music from the couple’s favorite song, or the first bite of the family’s traditional lasagna served during the holidays—all these things might spark wonderfulmemories.

While therapists in a formal setting use individual or group work, you can also initiate RT activities on your own. Although it’s technically not reminiscence “therapy” if you are not yourself a therapist or working with a therapist, you can look back on your own experiences or ask a friend or family member about the things they remember from their lives and explore those memories.

Techniques of Reminiscence Therapy

Here are some ways to encourage your loved ones to revisit their past usingsensory memories:

Note how powerful it is to reminisce using music from your loved one’s adolescence and youth. Hearing old songs is especially powerful for seniors withdementiaandAlzheimer’s, a common form of dementia. Dementia patients are often agitated, which can manifest as repetitive acts, restlessness, and aggressive behavior. One recent study on music intervention revealed promising effects in reducing these challenging behaviors in dementia patients.Integrating music into the therapy program can have profound effects.

In other recent research, scientists initiated a study about reminiscence and music-related memories. They built on previous research that showed a “disproportionate recall of memories that occurred between ages 10 and 30.” This bump in recall included musical memories.Therefore, scientists and therapists working with the elderly who are experiencing cognitive decline today know that playing nostalgic music helps their clients.

Beyond music, other stimulating senses can assist in memory and reminiscence therapy, including:

This Is Why We Associate Memories So Strongly With Specific Smells

What Reminiscence Therapy Can Help With

Reminiscence therapy has been found to play a significant role in these conditions:

Dementia

Someone with dementia may feel lost and their family may feel helpless about how to communicate with them. RT helps loved ones connect and learn more about their loved one’s earlier life.

Typically, people with dementia lose their short-term memory but retain and can still access long-term memories. Therefore, seniors are in their element and feel good when this modality of therapy is used. They gain a sense of accomplishment and find pleasure in sharing their life stories.

Depression in Older Adults

Depressionis one of the most common problems seniors battle. Based on a meta-analysis conducted in a recent scientific study, RT has been proven effective in reducing depression significantly.

The study also included older adults with chronic illness and those on antidepressants. Interestingly, the study found that “reminiscence therapy is more effective for older women and older adults with more severe depressive symptoms."

The Best Online Therapy Services for Depression We Tried and Tested

Benefits of Reminiscence Therapy

In addition to helping patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s, the positive effects of this therapy are wide-reaching.

Proven beneficial effects include:

RT can be used in individual, group, or family sessions. Licensed therapists may use it as part of a comprehensive plan focused on life review. By reconstructing memories from their past, RT helps older adults construct a biographical narrative and encourages positive feelings about their lives and past experiences.

Individuals can also use RT techniques with their family members and discuss a variety of memories out of sequence.Active listeningis encouraged, and it’s helpful to respond to your family’s memories in a positive manner.

You might also ask follow-up questions, like “How old were you when you got your first job?” or “Were you afraid when you were shipped off to the army?” This way, you give your loved one the chance to expand on what they briefly said. Silences are nothing to fear. Give your loved one time and be supportive and encouraging.

Whether you are working with a therapist or practicing RT techniques on your own or with family members, reminiscence therapy can help people—especially older adults—feel good about their past experiences and where they are now in life.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Klever S.Reminiscence therapy: Finding meaning in memories.Nursing. 2013;43(4):36-37. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000427988.23941.51APA.APA Dictionary of Psychology - reminiscence therapy.Lee KS, Jeong HC, Yim JE, Jeon MY.Effects of music therapy on the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system in stress-induced university students: a randomized controlled trial.J Altern Complement Med. 2016;22(1):59-65. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0079Pedersen SKA, Andersen PN, Lugo RG, Andreassen M, Sütterlin S.Effects of Music on Agitation in Dementia: A Meta-Analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:742. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00742Jakubowski K, Eerola T, Tillmann B, Perrin F, Heine L.A cross-sectional study of reminiscence bumps for music-related memories in adulthood.Music & Science. 2020;3:205920432096505. doi:10.1177/2059204320965058Liu Z, Yang F, Lou Y, Zhou W, Tong F.The Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on Alleviating Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709853. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709853Pishvaei M, Ataie Moghanloo R, Ataie Moghanloo V.The efficacy of treatment reminders of life with emphasis on integrative reminiscence on self-esteem and anxiety in widowed old men.Iran J Psychiatry. 2015;10(1):19-24.Khan A, Bleth A, Bakpayev M, Imtiaz N.Reminiscence therapy in the treatment of depression in the elderly: current perspectives.Journal of Ageing and Longevity. 2022;2(1):34-48. doi:10.3390/jal2010004

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Klever S.Reminiscence therapy: Finding meaning in memories.Nursing. 2013;43(4):36-37. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000427988.23941.51APA.APA Dictionary of Psychology - reminiscence therapy.Lee KS, Jeong HC, Yim JE, Jeon MY.Effects of music therapy on the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system in stress-induced university students: a randomized controlled trial.J Altern Complement Med. 2016;22(1):59-65. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0079Pedersen SKA, Andersen PN, Lugo RG, Andreassen M, Sütterlin S.Effects of Music on Agitation in Dementia: A Meta-Analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:742. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00742Jakubowski K, Eerola T, Tillmann B, Perrin F, Heine L.A cross-sectional study of reminiscence bumps for music-related memories in adulthood.Music & Science. 2020;3:205920432096505. doi:10.1177/2059204320965058Liu Z, Yang F, Lou Y, Zhou W, Tong F.The Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on Alleviating Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709853. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709853Pishvaei M, Ataie Moghanloo R, Ataie Moghanloo V.The efficacy of treatment reminders of life with emphasis on integrative reminiscence on self-esteem and anxiety in widowed old men.Iran J Psychiatry. 2015;10(1):19-24.Khan A, Bleth A, Bakpayev M, Imtiaz N.Reminiscence therapy in the treatment of depression in the elderly: current perspectives.Journal of Ageing and Longevity. 2022;2(1):34-48. doi:10.3390/jal2010004

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Klever S.Reminiscence therapy: Finding meaning in memories.Nursing. 2013;43(4):36-37. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000427988.23941.51APA.APA Dictionary of Psychology - reminiscence therapy.Lee KS, Jeong HC, Yim JE, Jeon MY.Effects of music therapy on the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system in stress-induced university students: a randomized controlled trial.J Altern Complement Med. 2016;22(1):59-65. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0079Pedersen SKA, Andersen PN, Lugo RG, Andreassen M, Sütterlin S.Effects of Music on Agitation in Dementia: A Meta-Analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:742. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00742Jakubowski K, Eerola T, Tillmann B, Perrin F, Heine L.A cross-sectional study of reminiscence bumps for music-related memories in adulthood.Music & Science. 2020;3:205920432096505. doi:10.1177/2059204320965058Liu Z, Yang F, Lou Y, Zhou W, Tong F.The Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on Alleviating Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709853. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709853Pishvaei M, Ataie Moghanloo R, Ataie Moghanloo V.The efficacy of treatment reminders of life with emphasis on integrative reminiscence on self-esteem and anxiety in widowed old men.Iran J Psychiatry. 2015;10(1):19-24.Khan A, Bleth A, Bakpayev M, Imtiaz N.Reminiscence therapy in the treatment of depression in the elderly: current perspectives.Journal of Ageing and Longevity. 2022;2(1):34-48. doi:10.3390/jal2010004

Klever S.Reminiscence therapy: Finding meaning in memories.Nursing. 2013;43(4):36-37. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000427988.23941.51

APA.APA Dictionary of Psychology - reminiscence therapy.

Lee KS, Jeong HC, Yim JE, Jeon MY.Effects of music therapy on the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system in stress-induced university students: a randomized controlled trial.J Altern Complement Med. 2016;22(1):59-65. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0079

Pedersen SKA, Andersen PN, Lugo RG, Andreassen M, Sütterlin S.Effects of Music on Agitation in Dementia: A Meta-Analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:742. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00742

Jakubowski K, Eerola T, Tillmann B, Perrin F, Heine L.A cross-sectional study of reminiscence bumps for music-related memories in adulthood.Music & Science. 2020;3:205920432096505. doi:10.1177/2059204320965058

Liu Z, Yang F, Lou Y, Zhou W, Tong F.The Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on Alleviating Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709853. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709853

Pishvaei M, Ataie Moghanloo R, Ataie Moghanloo V.The efficacy of treatment reminders of life with emphasis on integrative reminiscence on self-esteem and anxiety in widowed old men.Iran J Psychiatry. 2015;10(1):19-24.

Khan A, Bleth A, Bakpayev M, Imtiaz N.Reminiscence therapy in the treatment of depression in the elderly: current perspectives.Journal of Ageing and Longevity. 2022;2(1):34-48. doi:10.3390/jal2010004

Hannah Owens, LMSW

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?