Group reminiscence among people with end-stage chronic lung diseases

BACKGROUND: Reminiscence is a process of recalling long-forgotten memorable experiences and events through verbal interaction between the person eliciting memories and one or more persons. Reminiscence is considered an effective treatment for various groups of people, particularly the elderly. AIM: This paper describes an intervention study on group reminiscence intervention for people with end-stage chronic lung diseases. The following hypotheses were proposed: (1) Depression in people with end-stage chronic lung diseases will decrease after participating in a reminiscence group. (2) Self-esteem in people with end-stage chronic lung diseases will increase after participating in a reminiscence group. (3) People with end-stage chronic lung diseases will report increased well-being after participating in a reminiscence group. METHODS: The research design was quasi-experimental, using Beck Depression Inventory and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Survey pre- and posttreatment, in addition to conducting semistructured interviews after the treatment was finished and qualitatively evaluating outcomes of selected nursing diagnosis. A total of 12 patients participated, 10 women (mean age 70 years) and two men (mean age 86 years). The treatment was provided by two nurses to a group of patients dwelling at a long-term unit for people with end-stage lung diseases located in Iceland. A total of 13 group meetings were held, with 5-8 participants each time. Each group meeting had a preselected focus. It started with a short period of relaxation followed by a selected reading from a biography or from Icelandic literature and then the group discussion started, focusing on the topic of the day. RESULTS: The first two hypotheses were not supported. The following themes support the third hypothesis: (a) enjoyment, (b) feeling well and (c) closeness and affirmation of self and others. CONCLUSIONS: The purpose of the study was partly achieved. Although hypotheses one and two were not supported, the third was supported by the qualitative results, which clearly demonstrated that participation in the intervention increased well-being.