Humanities in Healthcare Practice
Dementia is a disease that affects the aged people, and it reduces their memory (Sweitzer, 2006). At the beginning stages of dementia, the disease affects the hypothalamus (Schmid, 2011). The part of the brain plays an important role in the memory of the recent events. Reminiscence therapy assists in improving memory retention in patients with dementia. Reminiscence therapy involves sharing memories with the patients, reviewing and evaluating them (Schmid, 2011).
Music is one of the reminiscence therapies that can help the eighty –year-old patient who has progressive dementia. Music, according to Schmid (2011), has the ability to trigger the memories of what the patient did in the last forty or more years. Music can kindle memories about the patient’s school life, relationships, etc. It is important to use familiar music because when the patient is familiar with the music, it has a great potential to affect the patient’s memories. The music must possess the ability to affect the patient emotionally so that she can remember the past events (Schmid, 2011).
Film has a great potential to affect the patient’s memory. The medium combines the audio and visual aspects, which give it a better potential than music. Specifically, I will use the film that coincides with the past experiences of the patient. By seeing similar experiences in the film, the patient will remember her past experiences. If the patient loved expeditions, I will select the films that have similar experiences (Cutler and Kelly, 2011).
Pictures (photographs) are effective in bringing back the memories of the past. The reminiscence process shall use the photographs that the patient took with her family members and friends. The visual aspect of the photographs shall strengthen the patient’s ability to recollect her past relations with the people and places in the photographs (Cutler and Kelly, 2011).
References
Cutler, D., & Kelly, D. (November 2011). How the Arts can contribute to Quality of Life in
Residential Care.
Schmid, J. (June 2011). “Reminiscence and Alzheimer’s Disease,” Best Alzheimer’s Products.
Retrieved on September 28, 2014 from http://www.best-alzheimers-products.com/reminiscence-and-alzheimers-disease.html
Sweitzer, P. (2006). “Mapping Memories: About Reminiscence,” The Baring Foundation.
Retrieved on September 28, 2014 from http://www.age-exchange.org.uk/projects/past/mappingmemories/reminiscence.html
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