Effects of reminiscence therapy in people with dementia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Accessible SummaryWhat is known about on the subject?


Alternative option was developed to improve care due to the increasing costs of care cost and the number of people diagnosed with dementia.

Reminiscence therapy is a commonly implemented alternative option used in long‐term care facilities.

Reminiscence therapy is designed for cognitive decline that is also known as life review.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge?


Reminiscence therapy, known as psychosocial interventions in dementia care, can be used to assist people with dementia recollect prior events, activities, and experiences in order to improve their cognitive, mood, and overall well‐being.

Reminiscence therapy increased cognitive function and quality of life and reduced depressive and neuropsychiatric symptoms among people with dementia.

Reminiscence therapy may be considered a useful non‐pharmacological intervention for people with dementia living in nursing homes or other long‐term care facilities.

The development of a global standard protocol for the application of reminiscence therapy may be necessary for future randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

AbstractIntroductionReminiscence therapy is an alternative to pharmaceutical intervention provided during long‐term care, especially for individuals with dementia. However, the effects of reminiscence therapy in dementia care remain inconclusive.AimThe goal of this study is to examine the effects of reminiscence therapy implementation in people with dementia.DesignSystematic literature review and meta‐analysis were conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.MethodsThis study searched systematically using 6 databases. The eligibility criteria included patients with dementia, applied reminiscence therapy, randomized controlled trials or quasi‐experimental studies, and published in the English language. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. The meta‐analysis was performed using a random‐effects model to calculate the pooled effects of reminiscence therapy. Stata 16.0 was used for statistical analysis.ResultA total of 29 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 3102 participants. Overall, reminiscence therapy increased cognitive functions and quality of life and decreased depression and neuropsychiatric symptoms.Implication for PracticeReminiscence therapy may be considered a useful non‐pharmacological intervention for people with dementia living in nursing homes or other long‐term care facilities. A standard protocol for reminiscence therapy may be necessary for future studies.