Abstract

Facilitating Spiritual Reminiscence for People with Dementia. A Learning Guide
E. MacKinlay and C. Trevitt
London: Jessica Kingsley, 2015
110 pp.
£22.99 (pb), ISBN: 9781849055734

According to the introduction, this thought-provoking and usable guide written by two experienced and well-regarded Australian practitioners, aims to promote reminiscence as a way of communicating that acknowledges the person as a spiritual being and seeks to engage the person in a more meaningful and personal way.

As can be seen from this initial assertion, this guide is based on a range of contested assumptions not least the nature of spirituality and the role that spiritual understandings play in understanding life, and the value and purpose of reminiscence. The underlying premise is that humanity is innately spiritual and that exploring the narrative of life and our own personal biography is therapeutic, especially for people with dementia.