The effect of group reminiscence therapy on death anxiety and adaptation of the elderly to old age

Abstract

Aim: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of group reminiscence on death anxiety and adaptation of the elderly to old age.

Methods: This is a clinical trial study. Using simple random sampling method, we divided 32 elderly people into the intervention (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. Reminiscence therapy was held in 12 sessions. The study instruments including demographic characteristics questionnaire, Mini Mental Status Examination, Templer Death Anxiety, and aging adjustment questionnaires were filled out by the samples in 3 steps before the intervention, after the last day of the intervention, and 30 days after the end of the interventional sessions.

Results: In the intervention group, the mean score of death anxiety and adjustment to old age before the intervention showed a statistically significant difference with the post-intervention stages (P < 0.05); however, in the control group, the mean scores of death anxiety and adjustment to old age in the 3 steps were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Also, no statistically significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups before the intervention (P > 0.05), but there was a statistically significant relationship in the steps immediately after the last day of the intervention and 30 days after the end of the interventional sessions (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicate that reminiscence therapy is able to effectively reduce the anxiety of death in the elderly; also, reminiscence therapy can be used to improve the adaptation ability of the elderly to old age.

Keywords: Adaptation; Anxiety; Elderly; Reminiscence.