Sharing memories (sometimes called life review or reminiscence) helps older adults relive past events in their lives. By sharing memories, older adults can explore their thoughts and feelings about the past.
Nostalgia and Connection
One reason why elderly people talk about the past is because it gives them a sense of nostalgia and helps them to connect with others. Many seniors feel a sense of loss as they age, and reminiscing about their past can help them to relive fond memories and feel a sense of comfort.
Repeated stories often represent highly significant memories. The person may repeat themselves because they want to communicate and cannot find anything else to say. The person might have become 'stuck' on a particular word, phrase or action. The person might be bored and under-occupied.
“It's a last-ditch effort to get your attention.” Most people think elders tell stories on repeat because they have forgotten that they already told them. But McColl concluded there's much more to it than that. Older people are seeking a reconciliation of their own identity.
'Reminiscence' means sharing life experiences, memories and stories from the past. Typically, a person with dementia is more able to recall things from many years ago than recent memories, so reminiscence draws on this strength.
This is why an Alzheimer's patient might remember an event from 20 years ago but can't remember what they did mere minutes ago. “First in, last out” is often used to describe the peculiar pattern of memory loss that AD causes. This concept is a take on an inventory valuation method used in accounting.
Recalling happy memories elicits positive feelings and enhances one's wellbeing, suggesting a potential adaptive function in using this strategy for coping with stress.
Storytelling for those with dementia has become a more widely used therapeutic tool. Often used with groups of seniors, family caregivers can use this same technique at home. Healthcare professionals who use storytelling find that it opens older adults up to memories, encourages verbalization and promotes self-esteem.
Memory loss and cognitive decline are two leading factors behind sudden or significant changes in personality. As the brain is affected by disease, loss of inhibition or even childlike behavior in elderly people can be the result.
Grandparents are generally the main storytellers. They're a reference of a different time, with more silences, with a little more wisdom and these old stories. Children need these stories to know who they are, where they belong. They're characters in a story and they need to know all of it.
Repetition. A person with Alzheimer's may do or say something over and over — like repeating a word, question or activity — or undo something that has just been finished. In most cases, he or she is probably looking for comfort, security and familiarity.
Stay calm: Focus on preventing frustration and arguments
People with dementia are unaware that they are repeating themselves, so it is not helpful to say to them, “you already told me that.”
Repeating entire conversations in your head is a type of rumination. It's how your mind attempts to self-soothe. The more you replay the details of a conversation, the more you may feel you can interpret what happened. You may also find that this helps you plan for a future outcome.
To confirm identity or world view: People often cycle through stories of the past to remind themselves of who they are and how they view the world. The less secure they are in their sense of identity and world view, the more likely they are to do this. This practice inhibits grieving.
From Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and diabetes to hypothyroidism, Wilson's disease, and epilepsy, a number of medical conditions are associated with irritability, anger, and despair—each of which can lead to an uptick in complaining.
Telling about your past experience is not just a question of ensuring that the record of the past is complete and representative. What also seems to be important is a need to tell. A way in which self-identity is sustained, may draw in new experiences, and relates to other people – good and bad.
In cases when premorbid traits and functioning cannot be determined, the most appropriate diagnosis is personality change due to a general medical condition. Lack of empathy, apathy, social withdrawal, and impulsivity may all be seen in neurocognitive disorders or personality disorders.
For example, agitation and anxiety both commonly increase with age and can cause noticeable personality changes. You or your loved one might feel more nervous or on-edge than you used to, or you may get frustrated more easily. Impulsive and reckless behavior are also common personality changes that occur in seniors.
Natural changes happen in the body as we age, such as skin damage from sun exposure, loss of muscle and physical strength, loss of some sight and hearing, as well as changes to our sleep patterns, energy levels and appetite.
Dementia reduces the brain's ability to interpret and understand information. It also causes memory problems, which can lead to suspicion, paranoia and false ideas. If someone is unaware that their memory is poor, they may create a story or explanation in which someone or something else is blamed.
We know now that dementia patients will often make up stories to cope but is making up stories a sign of dementia? Yes, it is. And while it can occur at any stage, it is most common among older adults with mid-to-late-stage dementia and can get worse as dementia progresses.
One of the worst things we dementia caregivers must cope with is the fact that a loved one's brain is broken and may cause them to tell terrible “lies” about us. Neurological damage can cause patients to make up hurtful stories and level false accusations toward their caregivers.
On the basis of prior research and content analysis, 6 types of reminiscence were identified: integrative, instrumental, transmissive, narrative, escapist, and obsessive.
Obsessive reminiscence is focused on negative events from the past and feelings of guilt and bitterness. There is a failure to reframe or restructure the thinking about mistakes or missed opportunities in order to incorporate them into a meaningful view of life, where even the bad has played an important role.
Related Story. Too much yearning for the past can negatively take your attention away from the present and lead to feelings of depression by stifling interest in forming new relationships and personal growth, explains Batcho. If you're a habitual worrier, Zengel adds, you may be even more susceptible.