Effects of life review program on emotional well-being of Korean elderly with Alzheimer’s disease

Authors

  • Yongho Lee, PhD, CTRS
  • Carla E. S. Tabourne, PhD
  • Jaesub Yoon, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajrt.2008.0014

Keywords:

Alzheimer's disease, emotional well-being, Life Review Program

Abstract

Emotional well-being is an important aspect of health for individuals with Alzheimer's disease, and self-esteem, depression, and life satisfaction have been identified as factors that comprise emotional well-being. As individuals undergo physical and psychological change associated with aging process, they tend to review their lives to achieve a sense of well-being in an effort to compensate for loss due to aging process. It evidences in the literature that the life review program (LRP) is an effective therapeutic recreation intervention to increase emotional well-being of elders with Alzheimer’s disease. With 17 Korean elders with Alzheimer’s disease, the findings of the current study showed some significant effects on Korean elderly with Alzheimer's disease in their emotional well-being. Although long-term effects of the LRP were questionable, the LRP was effective to make a therapeutic change in emotional well-being of Korean elderly with Alzheimer's disease.

Author Biographies

Yongho Lee, PhD, CTRS

Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Canada.

Carla E. S. Tabourne, PhD

University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jaesub Yoon, PhD

DaeHan Therapeutic Recreation Association, Daegu City, Korea.

References

American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), 4th ed. Washington, DC: APA, 2000.

McKhann G, Drachman D, Folstein M, et al.: Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: Report of the NINCDS- ADRDA work group under the auspices of the department of health and human services task force on Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurology. 1984; 34: 939-944.

Lawton M: Quality of life in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's Dis Assoc Disord. 1994; 8(Suppl 3): 138-150.

Tabourne CES: The life review program as an intervention for an older adult newly admitted to a nursing home facility: A case study. Ther Recreation J. 1995; 29(3): 228-236.

Tabourne CES: The effects of a life review recreation therapy program on confused nursing home residents. Top Geriatr Rehabil. 1991; 7(2): 13-21.

Tabourne CES: The effect of a life review program on dis-orientation, social interaction and self-esteem of nursing home residents. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1995; 41(1): 251-266.

McKenzie SE: The Efficacy of a Culturally Relevant Life Review Program: Effects on Life Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being of Community-Dwelling African American Elders dissertation]. Minneapolis, MS: University of Minnesota, 2004.

US Bureau of Census: US Census Bureau, population division Web site. Available at www.census.gov/population/www/. Accessed February 15, 2008./

Maynard M: Achieving emotional well-being for the aged through leisure program. Aging. 1993; 7 (3/4): 76-79.

Albert SM, Del Castillo-Castenada C, Sano M, et al.: Quality of life in patients with Alzheimer’s disease as reported by patient proxies. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1996; 44: 1342-1347.

Lawton MP, Van Haitsma K, Klapper J: Observed effect in nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1996; 51: 3-14.

Levy ML, Cummings JL, Fairbanks LA, et al.: Longitudinal assessment of symptoms of depression, agitation, and psychosis in 181 patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Am J Psychiatry. 1996; 153: 1438-1443.

Asplund K, Norberg A, Adolfsson R, et al.: Facial expressions in severely demented patients—A stimulus-response study of four patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 1991; 6(8): 599-606.

Daffner KR, Scinto LFM, Weintraub S, et al.: Diminished curiosity in patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease as measured by exploratory eye movements. Neurology. 1992; 42: 320-328.

Magai C, Cohen C, Gomberg D, et al.: Emotional expression during mid- to late-stage dementia. Int Psychogeriatr. 1996; 8: 383-395.

Zank S, Leipold B: The relationship between severity of dementia and subjective well-being. Aging Ment Health. 2001; 5(2): 191-196.

Butler RN: The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged. Psychiatry. 1963; 26: 65-76.

Abramson T, Mendis K: The organizational logistics of running a dementia group in a SNF. Clin Gerontol. 1990; 9: 111-122.

Erikson EH: Childhood and Society. New York: Norton, 1950.

Erikson EH: The Life Cycle Completed: Review. New York: Norton, 1982.

Erikson EH, Erikson J, Kivnick H: Vital Involvement in Age. New York: Norton, 1986.

Kivnick HQ: Everyday mental health: A guide to assessing life strengths. Generations. 1993; 17(1): 13-20.

Parker RG: Reminiscence: A continuity theory frame-work. Gerontologist. 1995; 35(4): 515-525.

Hendricks J, Leedham CA: Theories of aging: Implications for human services. In Kim PKH (eds.): Serving the Elderly: Skills for Practice. New York: Hawthorne Aldine de Gruyter, 1991: 1-25.

Atchley RC: A continuity theory of normal aging. Gerontologist. 1989; 29: 137-144.

Reker GT, Peacock EJ, Wong PT: Meaning and purpose in life and well-being: A life-span perspective. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1987; 42(1): 44-49.

Diener EE, Emmons RA, Larsen, RJ, et al.: The satisfaction with life scale. J Pers Assess. 1985; 49: 71-75.

Jeon B: Examination of possibility to measure self-concept. YonSei Non Chong. 1974; 11.

Cho MJ, Kim KH: Use of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale in Korea. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1998; 186(5): 304-310.

Suh E, Diener E, Shingehiro O, et al.: The shifting basis of life satisfaction judgment across cultures: Emotions versus norms. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1998; 74: 482-493.

Howell DC: Statistical Methods for Psychology, 4th ed. Belmont, Ca: Duxbury Press, 1997.

Bergland C: The life review process in geriatric art therapy: A pilot study. Arts Psychother.1982; 9: 121-130.

Lappe JM: Reminiscing: The life review therapy. J Gerontol Nurs. 1987; 13: 12-16.

Perschbacher R: An application of reminiscence in an activity setting. Gerontologist. 1984; 24: 343-345.

Sherman E: Reminiscence groups for community elderly. Gerontologist. 1987; 27: 569-572.

Fallot RD: The impact on mood of verbal reminiscing in later adulthood. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1980; 10: 385-400.

Fry PS: Structured and unstructured reminiscence training and depression among the elderly. Clin Gerontol. 1983; 1: 15-37.

Goldwasser AN, Auerbach SM, Harkins SW: Cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects of reminiscence group therapy on demented elderly. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1987; 25: 209-222.

Parsons CL: Group reminiscence therapy and levels of depression in the elderly. J Nurse Pract. 1986; 11: 68-76.

Published

04/01/2008

How to Cite

Lee, PhD, CTRS, Y., Tabourne, PhD, C. E. S., & Yoon, PhD, J. (2008). Effects of life review program on emotional well-being of Korean elderly with Alzheimer’s disease. American Journal of Recreation Therapy, 7(2), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.5055/ajrt.2008.0014

Issue

Section

Articles