Life review therapy for older adults with depressive symptoms in general practice: results of a pilot evaluation

Life review for older adults: an integrative review

Life review therapy is a form of psychotherapy framework which involves the guided reflection of life events throughout a patient's life journey. Patients are encouraged to actively recall and analyze important life events, both negative and positive. Through this process, patients may be able to come to terms with, or even resolve negative events such as conflicts and regrets. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the current knowledge of the use of life review therapy in older adults, and to identify areas for future research. A systematic literature search was conducted across CINAHL, Medline, PsycInfo, Embase and Scopus. Papers were screened and selected using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria using Covidence and exported into Excel. Data analysis was conducted to synthesise thematic analyses. One hundred and thirty-one articles from 1974 to 2023 were included in this study and were used to develop four themes: life satisfaction and self-esteem, depression and depressive symptoms, institutional care and cognitive decline, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma. Life review has some benefit in older adults in certain groups and situations, although the extent and duration of effectiveness of this benefit is unclear. Life review unlikely improves self-esteem. However, in the short term, life review appears to improve life satisfaction, depression or depressive symptoms, and PTSD symptoms in the elderly. Life review may be a useful therapeutic tool for older adults with cognitive decline for as long as the intervention continues. Areas for future research are explored.

Effects of group reminiscence interventions on depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in older adults with intact cognition and mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Reminiscence interventions have been extensively used to improve the psychological health of people with dementia. However, there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of group reminiscence interventions for older adults with intact cognition and mild cognitive impairment. Based on the large number of older adults and strained health care resources in China, we conducted a systematic review of the evidence on the effectiveness of group reminiscence interventions for older adults with intact cognition or mild cognitive impairment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five English databases were searched from inception to 21 August 2022. The quality of the included articles was assessed by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Scale or Criteria (2020) and the Australian Evidence-Based Health Care Centre (2020). Data related to study and intervention characteristics were extracted.

RESULTS

Twenty-four articles were included, of which eight were quasiexperimental studies and sixteen were randomized controlled studies. The overall study quality was high, but most studies did not blind the participants. Group reminiscence interventions were beneficial in improving depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in older adults with intact cognition or mild cognitive impairment, but no valid conclusions could be drawn about the effect on quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Group reminiscence interventions are an effective type of psychological intervention to improve the psychological health of older people. In addition, group reminiscence interventions are simple and easy to implement and can be considered a routine care activity to meet the spiritual needs of cognitively intact and mildly cognitively impaired older people.

Life Review Intervention: A Systematic Review of Its Feasibility Among Persons With Cancer

CONTEXT

Life Review Intervention (LRI) has started to shift in emphasis of focus onto persons with cancer and its effectiveness in improving their psychological well-being. The process has now begin integrating into healthcare settings as a complementary treatment for this population.

OBJECTIVES

The current systematic review aims to synthesize existing feasibility studies on LRI among persons with cancer.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted from the databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, PsychArticles, Scopus, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, Cochrane, EBSCO, and other methods. Eligible articles were selected based on the predetermined inclusion criteria and data extraction revolved around the study design, intervention procedure, and feasibility and psychological outcome measures.

RESULTS

The search yielded 8,627 articles, to which respondents simultaneously receiving other forms of psychological interventions were excluded. Eight were selected for evaluation. Four were integrated interventions while the remaining were conducted with the standard intervention. The sample size range from 5 to 90 persons with cancer. All reviewed articles reported optimum feasibility, as presented by recruitment capability, participant retention rate, acceptability and satisfaction, intervention implementation, and evaluation of intervention outcome measures. However, a majority of psychological outcome measures indicated no statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

LRI is feasible to be implemented among persons with cancer, given the high acceptability and availability of resources for its implementation. The present review highlighted the preliminary knowledge on the feasibility of the intervention.

Playback theatre in adult day centers: A creative group intervention for community-dwelling older adults

The literature indicates that theatre and drama-based interventions have the potential to improve older adults' well-being and health. The goal of the current study was to characterize the process of a creative group intervention in adult day centers (ADCs), which integrates playback theatre and life-review principles. Our objective was to provide an evidence-informed framework for drama therapy interventions, which would allow older adults to bring up and explore their life-stories in a dramatic creative process in their own community. A total of 27 participants ranging in age from 63 to 91, took part in one of three playback theatre groups. The playback theatre group intervention comprised 12 weekly sessions. All sessions were videotaped to capture the lived experience of the creative process and were analyzed in post-intervention interviews. In addition, focus group meetings were conducted with 13 ADC staff members to decipher further the effects of the participation as perceived by people outside the groups. Three types of potential transformation were identified in the qualitative analysis: the evolution of life stories, evolution of playfulness, and expansion of social engagement. The results indicate the potential of the integrative framework to serve as a creative intervention in ADC communities, as well as its potential to bring about a personal transformation and expand it to enable a person's social engagement in the community. The findings imply the potential benefits of using playback theatre groups to supplement the routine care provided in ADCs.

The Feasibility of Connecting Conversations: A Narrative Method to Assess Experienced Quality of Care in Nursing Homes from the Resident's Perspective

Currently, residents living in nursing homes and their caring relationships are being placed more centrally in the care experience. Experienced quality of care is influenced by the interactions between residents, family and caregivers, who each have their own experiences and needs. Connecting Conversations is a narrative method aimed at assessing experienced quality of care in nursing homes from the resident's perspective by having separate conversations with residents, family and caregivers (triads), adopting an appreciative inquiry approach. This study presents how to use Connecting Conversations and its feasibility. Feasibility was assessed as performance completeness, protocol adherence and interviewers' experiences. Conversations were conducted by trained nursing home staff (n = 35) who performed 275 Connecting Conversations in another nursing home than where they were employed (learning network). Findings show it is feasible to perform separate appreciative conversations with resident-family-caregiver triads by an interviewer employed in another nursing home; however, protocol adherence was sometimes challenging in conversations with residents. Interviewers valued the appreciative approach, the learning network and the depth of the separate conversations. Challenges were experienced with scheduling conversations and receiving time and support to perform the conversations. Stakeholders should continue collaboration to embed Connecting Conversations into daily practice in nursing homes.