Reminiscence and acquired brain injury

Reminiscence involves individuals discussing memories and experiences from their remembered past. With the aid of memory‐jogging materials such as photographs, music and newspapers, reminiscence has been widely used with older adults who have significant memory impairments as a consequence of dementia. This paper seeks to describe the use of reminiscence within a brain injury rehabilitation unit, including how to facilitate sessions and explore outcomes when using it with individuals who have brain injuries. Dementia Care Mapping was used to measure mood and engagement of participants in a reminiscence group, and self‐ratings that allow participants to comment about sessions were also obtained. Results indicate improvements in mood and engagement, as well as positive ratings from participants. Recommendations regarding the use of reminiscence are extended to include using it with adults with acquired brain injury within residential, day or community settings.