A comparison of the effects of old familiar songs, antique objects, historical summaries, and general questions on the reminiscence of nursing home residents

Journal/Book: Journal of Music Therapy. 1990; 27: 2-12.

Abstract: Compared the effects of 4 different types of materials (old songs, antique objects, historical summaries, and general questions) on the reminiscences of 60 nursing home residents (aged 71-90 yrs). Results indicate significant differences between treatments for total number of statements produced and number of references to nonrelatives, places visited, personal events, nonpersonal historical/cultural events, and childhood activities. Ss responding to general questions reminisced longer, thereby producing more references in each category. Ss responding to historical summaries also talked at length, producing a number of references in each category. Due to the shorter length of reminiscence, fewer references were recorded from Ss responding to old songs and antique objects. ABSTRACT 2: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of old songs, antique objects, historical summaries, and general questions on the reminiscence of nursing home residents. Sixty nursing home residents were subjects with fifteen each assigned to one of four stimulus conditions. Subjects listened to or examined materials individually. Comments and reminiscence were tape recorded and later transcribed for analysis. Reminiscence was analyzed to produce scores for ten dependent variables, and a Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA was computed for each. Results indicated statistically significant differences between conditions for the total number of statements produced and for the number of references to nonrelatives, places visited, personal events, nonpersonal historical/cultural events, and adulthood activities. Fewer references were recorded from subjects responding to the old songs and antique objects.

Note: old songs vs antique objects vs historical summaries vs general questions; reminiscences; 71 90 yr old nursing home residents

Keyword(s): Nursing homes; reminiscence ; treatment ; aged ; very old; music therapy; history ; questioning ; adulthood

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