The effect of individual reminiscence therapy on self-esteem and depression among institutionalized elderly in India.

Nurses often elicit patients' stories as a means to an end--for example, getting to know patients better and providing better care or treatments. However, the act of listening in itself can be therapeutic. Through the use of reminiscence therapy (RT), eliciting stories from elderly residents of a nursing home in India improved their sense of well-being. This article describes a study of the use of RT and presents one resident's story.