Reminiscence therapy for older adults with Alzheimer's disease: A literature review

The literature on the use of reminiscence therapy is vast in patients with dementia, but there is minimal evidence in older adults with Alzheimer's disease. The current review seeks to develop a unifying way to administer reminiscence therapy that will be effective for older adults with Alzheimer's disease. The review used the PRISMA guidelines in the literature search and data extraction. Results showed the effectiveness of reminiscence therapy in older adults with Alzheimer's disease, area of cognition, depression, activities of daily living, and quality of life. Additionally, for the therapy to be effective, it must be conducted regularly in a small group of patients for an average of 45 min for 8- to 12-week duration. Patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease are most likely to benefit with the use of photographs, videos, and music that are associated with their past experiences. This review highlights innovative ways to render reminiscence therapy to individuals with Alzheimer's disease including technology-aided applications.