Reminiscence Therapy
When a person has Alzheimer’s or dementia, trying to remember names and events that happened recently can be stressful. Reminiscence therapy is when someone shares a memory from the past. The goal of this type of treatment is to help a loved one with dementia feel contented, peaceful and valued.
This type of therapy doesn't stop the progress or reverse dementia, but it does reduce stress. The positive feelings from memories can improve your loved one’s mood, decrease wandering behavior and reduce agitation.
Making reminiscence therapy successful
The primary goal of reminiscence therapy is, so you and your loved one enjoy your time spent together. It sets the scene so you and the person can talk about any memories which may come to mind.
To get the best results, choose a time of day when they're most alert and interested in doing activities. Choose a location that's comfortable, quiet, and they'll be able to see you and hear you easily.
If your senior doesn’t recall any memories when doing the activity, it’s okay because perhaps nothing came to their mind at that moment. You could offer some comments which might bring back a memory but don’t pressure them. Just spending time with your loved one will be enjoyable to them.
Suggestions for therapy activities
Because memories come from different parts of the brain, try doing activities which stimulate different senses. Get creative and use your imagination to get your seniors memory jogged. Below are some activities which might help:
- Turn on their favorite music: When people listen to music, it helps them to reminisce and relive past experiences and emotions. Music can reach people even with advanced dementia.
- Look through keepsakes and photos: Going through mementos or pictures is another excellent way to bring back memories. Pictures of family, friends, pets, and important events in their life are excellent choices. Plus, if the person liked to crochet or garden, looking through a magazine or a plant catalog might be enjoyable for them.
- Scent and taste: Scent is a powerful way to stir up memories. You could use spices to remind them of their favorite food or dessert. Or use scented candles or scents to remind them of their favorite spots. There are some candles which have a scent close to what the beach smells like, for example. For taste, you could make a dessert or a special dish which they used to make for special occasions. Eat it together and see if it brings back any past memories.
- Touch: Touch is a potent tool, and touching favorite objects may bring back memories of important life events. Or even if they had a favorite dress that they loved to wear to social occasions.
Benefits of reminiscence therapy
There are several benefits of reminisces therapy for dementia and Alzheimer patients. Below are some of those benefits:
- It exercises the brain: For seniors with various conditions, recollection may not be easy for them. When using reminiscence therapy, is a type of directed daydreaming that focuses on the person's past. It aimed to try to get the person to recall as many details of a past event that they're able. This strengthens memory in general, by developing focusing and remembering.
- It makes the person feel as if someone is listening: Many seniors feel ignored or neglected. However, with this type of therapy, someone must listen. The other person has to pay attention to the memories which are being shared. This makes the senior feel connected and want to share more memories.
- Strengthens bonds: This type of therapy can create new bonds. It lets the senior share experiences and become closer to the people in their life.
Reminiscence therapy in one way to connect to a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
