Facilitating Spiritual Reminiscence for People with Dementia

This practical guide teaches carers how to facilitate engaging and stimulating spiritual reminiscence sessions with older people, and particularly people with dementia. Spiritual reminiscence is a way of communicating that acknowledges the person as a spiritual being, and seeks to engage the person in a more meaningful and personal way. This book will not only help carers to understand the many and varied benefits of spiritual reminiscence, but also develop the skills, confidence and communication techniques needed to support people with dementia in this activity. The authors present in accessible terms the evidence-base to support the benefits of the approach and provide clear, step-by-step instructions for facilitating spiritual reminiscence sessions, including useful suggestions for ideas and questions to stimulate discussion.

Preface. Part 1. Learning about working with people who have dementia: communicating, story, spirituality and spiritual reminiscence. 1. Spiritual care. 2. Dementia. 3. Communication. 4. Reminiscence work. 5. Spiritual reminiscence. 6. The process of small group spiritual reminiscence. Part 2. The weekly sessions of spiritual reminiscence. 7. Week 1 Life-meaning. 8. Week 2 Relationship, isolation and connecting. 9. Week 3 Hopes, fears and worries. 10. Week 4 Growing older and transcendence. 11. Week 5 Spiritual and religious beliefs. 12. Week 6 Spiritual and religious practice. Appendix 1. Group topics for spiritual reminiscence. Appendix 2. Spiritual reminiscence and older people, a small group process: Information for intending participants, staff and families. References.