The extended effects of the life review in nursing home residents

To date, there is little information on the therapeutic effects of the life review beyond one year. This analysis followed fifty-two of 256 subjects w ho lived for at least three years in a nursing home. These participants rec eived either a life review or friendly visit and took part in four repeated testings to determine the lasting effects of the life review at two and th ree years. Measures of integrity (life satisfaction, psychosocial well bein g, self-esteem) and despair (depression, hopelessness, and sucide intent) w ere used as pretest, posttest, and retest. Results showed a trend toward co ntinued and by year three significant improvement over time in those who re ceived the life review on measures of depression (t = -2.20, p <.03), life satisfaction (t = 2.51, p <.02), and self-esteem (t = -2.31, p <.03).