How to write a nursing paper on the Concept of Life Review

How to write a nursing paper on the Concept of Life Review

Concept of Life Review

Life review is a natural event where individuals progressively remember their memories for reevaluation and analysis to achieve personal reflection (Werning.,2020). It is a normal developmental process that occurs later in life, and it is different in each individual. A life review always occurs spontaneously or structured (guided autobiography).  Individuals may be aware of the evaluation process, and most tend to defend themselves from it. The life review process provides insights for solving old issues, reconciliation, repentance for earlier mistakes, and incorporation of past and present.

The resolution of life issues results in peace of mind and satisfaction in one’s life (Delle Fave.,2016). Individuals who are peaceful and contented with their lives often tend to involve themselves in creative works; for example, they may develop an interest in sharing family histories, doing art and music, etc. On the flip side, individuals who believe they are not satisfied with the way they lived their lives and cannot solve past problems often panic, terror, and suicide might occur.

Goals and Benefits of Life Review

Life review is used to empower older adults suffering from end-of-life issues to find the purpose, value, and meaning of their lives by reflecting on past experiences, failures, and accomplishments. Life review has proven significant in promoting and improving one self-esteem. People may not appreciate the implication of their achievements in life. By looking back, most individuals feel proud of what they have done in life, and in most cases, it has boosted their self-esteem and how they see life.

The real-life review therapy approach has been found effective in helping individuals with painful memories or unresolved issues (Yu,.2021). Individuals can reflect on their lives, share their experiences with life review therapists or others facing the same concerns. By doing so, appropriate interventions are usually deployed, and it has been found helpful in bringing peace to those affected.

By sharing traumatic events, experiences, and memories in life, Therapists have found life review therapy essential in treating depression in older adults. Physicians may use life review therapy to accompany other medical treatments to manage anxiety and depression. In psychiatric units, mental health specialists often apply life review therapy to individuals or groups to create social bonding, essential to individuals in assisted living facilities.

Families may benefit when an individual in their family partakes in life review therapy. The family might learn things they dint know before, and when they save these memoirs, they can have a precious piece of family history.

Similarities and differences of life review and ordinary remembrance

Life review and ordinary remembrance have many traits in common. They both use of memory and recall of previous events. Both can be used for therapeutic purposes and are mainly implemented by the elderly. Furthermore, both must be free-flowing and lie in the seminal work of Robert Butler.

However, life review and reminiscence differ in some aspects.  Reminiscence is a spontaneous process that occurs anywhere by anybody; it is remembering without analyzing past failures or successes, it always occurs to think happy moments, and there is no need for satisfaction of one life or need for reconciliation. On other hand, life review reflects one’s life from young to old age; it is more formal, structured, and inclusive than remembering. Additionally, life review entails looking back at accomplishments and failures, admitting failures, and trying to compensate.

 

References

Delle Fave, A., Brdar, I., Wissing, M. P., Araujo, U., Castro Solano, A., Freire, T., … & Soosai-Nathan, L. (2016). Lay definitions of happiness across nations: The primacy of inner harmony and relational connectedness. Frontiers in psychology7, 30.

Werning, M. (2020). Predicting the past from minimal traces: Episodic memory and its distinction from imagination and preservation. Review of Philosophy and Psychology11(2), 301-333.

Yu, E. S. (2021). How to Deal with the Past Memories of Patients in Palliative Care: A Suggested New Approach. The Korean Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care24(2), 69-73.

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