Effectiveness of structured group reminiscence therapy in decreasing the feelings of loneliness, depressive symptoms and anxiety among inmates of a residential home for the elderly in Chittoor district

Authors

  • Jayanthi Tarugu Apollo College of Nursing, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
  • R. Pavithra Apollo College of Nursing, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
  • Sivagami Vinothchandar Department of Community Health Nursing, Apollo College of Nursing, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
  • Aniruddha Basu Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
  • Sirshendu Chaudhuri Department of Community Medicine, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
  • K. R. John Department of Community Medicine, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20190218

Keywords:

Reminiscence therapy, Elderly, Loneliness, Depressive symptoms, Anxiety

Abstract

Background: The proportion of the elderly population is increasing in low and middle-income countries. Apart from systemic illnesses, elderly people face mental illnesses. Effect of group reminiscence therapy in reducing some of the mental health aspects showing a promising effect but the evidence is lacking in Indian settings. The present study aimed to determine the effect of reminiscence therapy in decreasing the level of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety among the elderly population at an institutional level.

Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, residents of an old age home were evaluated for loneliness, depressive symptoms and anxiety through revised UCLA, geriatric depression scale, and Geriatric Anxiety Scale respectively. Group reminiscence therapy was applied to them and post-intervention assessment was done by the same scales.

Results: Significant reduction of anxiety score [1.33 (0.03, 2.64)] was noticed in anxiety. Depressive symptoms showed a mean reduction in score [0.59 (-0.41, 1.6)] but statistically not significant. When graded into severity, all three outcomes showed improvement from higher severity grade to lower grade in post-intervention assessment. The intervention resulted in an improvement of 66.7% in depressive symptoms, 33.3% in anxiety and 30.8% in loneliness.

Conclusions: The study found reminiscence therapy could be encouraging in resource-poor Indian settings. We recommend for further exploration of the long-term effects of this program, its feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and validation of the content for large-scale implementation.

 

Author Biographies

Jayanthi Tarugu, Apollo College of Nursing, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

The Principal, Apollo College of Nursing

R. Pavithra, Apollo College of Nursing, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Clinical instructor, Apollo College of Nursing

Sivagami Vinothchandar, Department of Community Health Nursing, Apollo College of Nursing, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Head of the department, Department of Community Health Nursing, Apollo College of Nursing

Aniruddha Basu, Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Sirshendu Chaudhuri, Department of Community Medicine, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine

K. R. John, Department of Community Medicine, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Murukambattu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Community Medicine

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Published

2019-01-24

How to Cite

Tarugu, J., Pavithra, R., Vinothchandar, S., Basu, A., Chaudhuri, S., & John, K. R. (2019). Effectiveness of structured group reminiscence therapy in decreasing the feelings of loneliness, depressive symptoms and anxiety among inmates of a residential home for the elderly in Chittoor district. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 6(2), 847–854. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20190218

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Original Research Articles