Frequently asked questions

Is reminiscence a therapy?

According to Dutch standards, something is considered a therapy when the results are demonstrable and reproducible. In addition, the facilitator must be a recognized therapist, and the person receiving the therapy must be aware that it is a therapy. However, treatment methods are applied under the label ‘therapy’ that do not meet all the above conditions, yet according to facilitators and recipients, they still produce the desired results. The scientific research conducted so far on reminiscence has all had a ‘preliminary’ character, and although the results are promising, they all point to further extended research (larger scale and/or more control groups, etc.)

That said, reminiscence can be intentionally used to achieve a therapeutic goal, for example, group reminiscence as prevention for loneliness, reminiscence as help for depression, reminiscence as a means of working toward a more positive self-image, etc.

In many cases, reminiscence is used within elderly care as a pleasant and meaningful activity, with possibly some therapeutic effect.

Is reminiscence an approach method, like Reality Orientation or Validation?

Reminiscence consists of interventions to recall and present memories and was originally aimed at ‘older adults in general’ and not specifically at ‘older adults with dementia.’ Therefore, reminiscence does not fall under approach methods such as ‘Reality Orientation’ or ‘Validation.’

Reminiscence can be used within both mentioned approach methods, and these can in turn be used within reminiscence work.

Reminiscence can thus also (and not only) be used for people with dementia, because it appeals to the part of memory that is still intact.

Is reminiscence best done in groups?

Reminiscence can be done both in groups and individually (one facilitator with one participant). Both methods have advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage of group reminiscence is the stimulus participants receive from each other, the recognition of each other’s stories, the social contacts and the mutual enjoyment. A disadvantage of groups can be that participants receive less personal attention. Also, not all people feel comfortable in a group or are able to assert themselves in one. For example, people who are deaf, speak unintelligibly or incoherently will not function well in a group.

An advantage of individual reminiscence is that deafness or difficult-to-understand speech is less of an obstacle. Individual reminiscence can also be used with people who benefit from (a period of) intensive individual attention. Individual reminiscence can in some cases also achieve greater depth than group reminiscence. Moreover, individual reminiscence does not always have to be applied as a separate activity, but can be integrated into daily interaction with individuals.

Does reminiscence only deal with pleasant memories?

Reminiscence focuses on ‘processed’ memories and not on unprocessed, poorly processed or traumatic memories. Reminiscence only seeks memories that the participant likes to talk about. These can be pleasant, but also less pleasant memories. It is not a problem if a participant becomes emotional during reminiscence. Both joy and sadness are part of life. To prevent participants in group reminiscence from being confronted with topics they would rather not discuss, it is wise to agree on the theme beforehand. If a participant objects to a particular theme, it is better to skip it. Optionally, you can ask if the participant in question would like to listen to the others without telling their own story.

Nevertheless, it is not possible to prevent a topic from suddenly being brought up during group reminiscence that was not agreed upon beforehand, but in our experience, this has rarely caused problems.

Is reminiscence suitable for older adults with a psychiatric background?

That depends on the nature of the psychiatric condition and (as with all reminiscence participants) on their specific past and how it has been processed.

For older adults with a psychiatric background who develop dementia, that latter disease becomes dominant, and reminiscence is not much different than for other older adults with dementia.

It may be necessary to make more agreements beforehand than usual, e.g., only seeking memories that relate to things one can be proud of or that bring one pleasure. The participant(s) must also be able to adhere to those agreements.

It goes without saying that the facilitators need experience with and knowledge of psychiatry. See also this article: Reminiscence in elderly psychiatry

For whom is reminiscence suitable?

Reminiscence is suitable for everyone (young and old) who is able to and enjoys recalling and presenting memories.

“For people who compulsively dwell on the past, reminiscence is not suitable. These can be people who flee into a past they idealize, or people who cannot let go of a traumatic past that causes them fear, guilt, etc.” (loosely after Prof. Dr. A. Marcoen, University of Leuven).

Quote from Faith Gibson (Prof. Social Studies, University of Ulster) from her book ‘Reminiscence and recall’ (1994): ‘Reminiscence work has many different approaches, depending on the knowledge, skills, confidence and experience of the people who use it. It is not a set of exhaustively tested techniques. Rather, it is a loose collection of ideas resulting in diverse approaches, activities and practices that vary depending on the goal and the setting in which it takes place.’