THE EFFECT OF REMINISCENCE ON THE AMOUNT OF GROUP SELF-ESTEEM AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF THE ELDERLY

The natural course of aging leads to changes in the normal physiological,
psychological, social, and spiritual status of the elderly. Self-esteem is an important aspect of
adaptation in all stages of life that will be important in the elderly and is associated with mental health
and life satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate the effect of reminiscence groups on self-esteem
and life satisfaction of Sari elderly people.
Materials & Methods: This experimental study included 32 elderly people referring to Sari elderly
centre. They were randomly divided equally into a control and intervention group. In the experimental
group, 8 reminiscence group sessions was conducted twice a week for 90 minutes. The control group
had only normal programs. The rate of self-esteem and life satisfaction of subjects before and after
intervention was evaluated. The data were analyzed by the use of paired t-tests and independent t-test
by SPSS.
Result: The results showed that self-esteem in control group was 24 ± 2 and 27 ± 3 before and after
intervention, respectively. The p-value was (p<0.01). The mean life satisfaction score in the test group
before and after intervention were 21 ± 2 and 24 ± 3, respectively. The p-value for this group was
(p<0.01).
Conclusion: The results indicate that reminiscence is effective among the elderly on promoting selfesteem and life satisfaction. So the above neglected simple and feasible technique could be applied
either to all elderly care centers or homes