Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Volume 69, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
AMER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOC, INC
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2015.014894
Keywords
aged; health promotion; intergenerational relations; personal narratives as topic; randomized controlled trial; writing
Categories
Funding
- Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation
- Penn South Social Services, Inc.
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OBJECTIVE. We investigated the therapeutic benefits (i.e., sense of purpose and meaning in life) of the Living Legends program, which includes life review writing and an intergenerational exchange, compared with life review writing alone, for community-dwelling older adults. METHOD. This study was a randomized controlled trial with a connected qualitative component. We analyzed quantitative data using independent-samples t tests and written descriptions of program experiences using Collaizi's qualitative methodology; we then used a triangulation protocol to integrate the qualitative and quantitative data.. RESULTS. For participants in the writing workshop plus intergenerational exchange, sense of purpose and meaning in life increased significantly (p < .0001) compared with those in the writing workshop alone. Qualitative themes revealed additional program benefits. CONCLUSION. Living Legends enhanced participants' sense of purpose and meaning in life, a factor known to prevent cognitive loss and disability, compared with life review writing alone.
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