Reminiscent therapy is a very positive approach in the context of gerontology. It is a way of integrating the past and present through memories and emotions. This, in a way, restores the vitality and reality of the person.
In this way, it is possible to strengthen identity and illuminate the meaning of life by saving what we went yesterday, or even solving outstanding problems.
- One of the biggest challenges facing our society today is undoubtedly the ageing population.
- Life expectancy.
- As we know.
- Is increasing.
Our medical and health resources, lifestyle and diet have allowed us to reach a much older age.
However, something that in itself would seem very positive also presents a very important challenge: is there any way to reach these ages with better psychological health?
We know that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are conditions that completely undermine the quality of life of this population, however, gerontology also faces other problems, such as loneliness or dissatisfaction with life.
We often see people who end their working lives and retire at age 60, 65, or 70, but are still 20 years of age or older. The way we see aging is changing, given the much more advanced ages because we now have much older people.
For this reason, many people are forced to rething their old age and future, because the way their own parents once faced the third phase of life no longer seems logical.
“We need a second-life project, not just entertainment to occupy the free time that comes with retirement one way or another. “F. Javier González-
The celebrated geriatrician and psychiatrist Robert Butler (1963) was the first to discover the exercise of reminiscence as a useful and effective psychological tool for the elderly, a way to review life itself and adapt to every cycle of our existence.
He described it as “a return to awareness of past experiences and, more specifically, to unresolved problems and conflicts, to look at them in perspective and give them new meaning. “
One way or another, and if we think about it, this exercise is something we do very often at different stages of our lives, however, it has been shown that this approach is very beneficial especially when we reach an advanced age.
In addition, studies such as those published in the Journal of Neurology, conducted by Drs. Irazoki and García-Casal, reveal that reminiscent therapy is also very important for cognitive processes that occur in people with dementia.
Let’s look at more details
Reminiscence therapy is a cognitive stimulation technique, so, according to Carvallo, Arroyo, Porter and Ruz (2012), is it a set of neuropsychological intervention activities that seek to improve neuroplasticity in the elderly ?, which is particularly useful in cognitive impairment processes.
The objective, as you can imagine, is to promote a review of life, attaining an existential meaning before experience, it also seeks to resolve personal conflicts and establish adequate internal peace.
When we work or share time with older people, there is a fact that often happens, not everyone is aware of the exceptional achievements they have achieved in life, often their eyes are alone in the present where, perhaps, loneliness weighs too much. as well as illnesses and pains.
It is therefore necessary to be able to raise awareness among the elderly of their achievements, their successes, the children who have given the world, the difficulties they have been able to overcome, the work that has been done, the joy they have felt of the most important things. Easy?
Getting them to reconnect with who they were, what made them smile, or even what was once a concern and is now irrelevant is the key to rebuilding and dignifying their person.
In conclusion, as we have seen, reminiscent therapy is an excellent intervention tool for patients with cognitive impairment.
It is a way to slow down the process to the maximum, improve emotional states and help improve the quality of life of older adults.
However, going back to what we said at the beginning, it should be noted that we definitely need other approaches, strategies and types of assistance. Our future population will include a very large area of seniors and older adults.
They deserve the best attention and tools to continue enjoying their day to day in the best way and with the best assistance.
It is not necessary simply to entertain the retiree or the retiree, it is necessary to create new projects that give them more dignity.