Cet article examine un problème courant, soit la perte, totale ou partielle, des facultés chez les aînés, et donne quelques exemples fictifs de stratégies pour y faire face. La première partie du texte porte sur certains ouvrages traitant du désoeuvrement, notamment une nouvelle de Carol Bly intitulée «Gunnar's Sword,» et le roman de David Malouf An Imaginary Life. La seconde partie de cet essai compare deux romans récents décrivant le quotidien des aînés, soit Adele at the End of the Day, de Tom Marshall, et The Remains of the Day, de Kazuo Ishiguro. Tous les ouvrages examinés sont évalués selon leur contribution à la compréhension du vieillissement et leur succès sur le plan littéraire.

In response to recent claims for the role of the humanities in understanding aging, this paper identifies certain works of fiction which illustrate and dramatize such concepts as life review and integrity. In its consideration of novels by Muriel Spark, Tillie Olsen, Margaret Laurence, and Jessica Anderson, the essay argues that complex fiction about old persons refuses to over-simplify or sentimentalize the problems of aging but often finds poetic and symbolic means of affirming the positive values of life review and spiritual growth at the end of life's journey.

This article explores recent progress in theory, research and practical applications of reminiscence. It first describes the evidence for reminiscence as a naturally occurring process, and discusses the different functions of reminiscence and their relationships with mental health and lifespan processes. Three basic types of reminiscence that relate to mental health are specified: conversations about autobiographical memories and the use of personal recollections to teach and inform others have social functions; positive functions for the self include the integration of memories into identity, recollections of past problem-solving behaviours, and the use of memories to prepare for one's own death; negative functions for the self are the use of past memories to reduce boredom, to revive bitterness, or to maintain intimacy with deceased persons. It is proposed that in interventions the three types are addressed differently: simple reminiscence stimulates social reminiscence and bonding and promotes positive feelings; life review uses the positive functions to enhance personal wellbeing; and life-review therapy seeks to reduce the negative uses and thereby alleviate symptoms of mental illness. Studies of the effectiveness of interventions have provided some evidence that interventions are effective in relation to their goals. The review closes with recommended directions for future reminiscence research.

Background: We developed an indicated preventive life-review course, “Looking for Meaning”, based on the assumption that reminiscence styles influence coping with depressive symptoms. This study describes the impact of this course in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Methods: Inclusion criteria were >50 years, a score of 5 or higher on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and no depressive disorder or psychotropic or psychological treatment. Participants were randomized and stratified by gender: the experimental group (N = 83) was offered the course and the comparison group (N = 88) a movie. There were three measurements: pre-treatment, post-treatment and 6 months after post-treatment. Depressive symptoms constituted the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were anxiety symptoms, satisfaction with life, mastery and reminiscence styles. All analyses were conducted according to the intention-to-treat principle. Missing values were replaced by regression imputation.

Results: The course reduced depressive symptoms, a decrease that was retained during follow-up. A significant between-group effect size was found (d = 0.58). There was also a reduction in symptoms of anxiety; however, the comparison group showed the same reduction, resulting in a small between-group effect size. Gender and level of depressive symptoms were found to be prognostic factors for the change in depressive symptoms; age was not. Post hoc analyses showed significant between-group effect sizes for females and those with a score above the cut-off of the CES-D.

Conclusion: The course “Looking for Meaning” can be recommended for people aged over 50 years, females and older adults with a clinically relevant level of depressive symptoms (above cut-off) in particular.

Objective: This study aims to clarify characteristics of the contents of life review in reminiscence therapies in cancer patients by age, gender, and stage of disease.

Methods: Sixteen patients who were terminally ill and were receiving anticancer treatments participated in life review therapy. Patients reviewed there lives according to their developmental stage, and they mainly reviewed impressive achievements. A clinical psychologist interviewed each patient four times and the total number of sessions was 64. The contents of each life review were transcribed, and a correspondence analysis and a significance test were conducted on these data to choose characteristic words or phrases.

Results: The main concern of 40-year-olds was “about children.” For 50-year-olds, it was “how to confront death” and for 60-year-olds, “death-related anxiety” and “new discoveries”. For 70-year-olds, “resignation about death” and “evaluative reminiscence of their lives” were most important, and for 80-year-olds the main concern was “relationships with others.” When analyzing the data according to disease stage and gender, “transcendence to children”, “reflection on their past behavior”, and “gratitude for my family” were characteristic words for males receiving treatment, “work,” “worries about children,” “side effects,” “homecare,” and “reflection on their past behavior” were characteristic words for females receiving treatment. “Physical condition”, “desire for death” and “how to confront death” were common phrase for males in the terminal stages of the disease process, while “resignation to life” was characteristic reaction for females.

Significance of results: There appear to be considerable differences in the focus of life review interviews by age, disease age, disease stage, and gender. Clinicians should consider these differences when using life-review therapy in order to tailor it to the individual.

There is a common methodology to reminiscence and life review with older people and oral history, and yet very little common literature. The distinguishing characteristics of these approaches are described and three areas of work are featured: interrogation, partnership and ownership. The discussion draws on a case study drawn from research on family break-up and reconstitution, and on the performance of a play devised and performed by a group of older amateur actors to an international conference. I conclude by identifying ways in which both approaches might benefit from a closer collaboration.

This paper questions assumptions about reminiscence and looks at definitions of it. Functions of different types of reminiscence are examined and distinctions are drawn between these and autobiographical memories. Methodologies of eliciting reminiscences are critically considered. Finally, types and amounts of reminiscence are related to life style and age group.