Poster Therapy
Suggested Uses & Notable Research
Suggested Uses
Small Poster 16″ X 20″ (cameo plus 4 photos)
An especially good choice for people dealing with dementia. A university study has emphasized the appeal of several small posters, with each poster focusing on a particular theme from the patient’s earlier life.
- A Place (childhood home, favorite vacation spot, or special event)
- Special people (parents, siblings and friends from childhood)
- Hobby/interests (travel, sports activities, crafts, gardening, art interests)
- Pets (a collage of family dogs, cats, birds, favorite animals)
Medium Poster 22″ X 28″ (55.8 x 71.1 cm)
(Cameo plus 7 photos)
This poster size is beneficial for people in the following categories:
Dementia
This poster is ideal for photos of the cameo person’s immediate family and has two main uses:
- Hung near the entrance to the patient’s home or room, it provides instant recognition of the patient’s family for outside caregivers.
- In a Memory Care unit everyone (especially staff members) will be drawn to the poster to comment about family members.
Long-Term Care Stay
This poster provides an easy solution for patients faced with a long rehab or hospital stay due to accidents or chronic illness, as framed photos clutter restricted space.
End of Life
Whether end-of-life patients are cared for in their own home, a hospice, or hospital, their daily space is usually reduced to one room. This size poster, featuring the faces of much loved family, friends, or pets provides comfort and fond memories of times spent together.
Traumatic Head Injury
People who experience Traumatic Head Injury suffer short-term memory loss, which can last months, making this poster ideal in the therapy area. For Traumatic Head Injury patients, whose brains were injured during an accident, long-term memory loss is often the result, where again, this sized poster can be beneficial.
Large Poster 24″ X 36″ (61 x 91.4 cm)
(Cameo plus 12 photos)
*Anyone separated from familiar surroundings for whatever reason will appreciate reminders of special people, places, and/or events from their lives.
Extra Large Poster 27″ X 40″ (68.6 x 101.6 cm)
(Cameo plus 20 photos)
For people living away from home in the previous category marked (*) above who have enough space to accommodate the larger poster.
Additional Benefits
- Reminds the loved one of how he or she used to look.
- Promotes self-esteem.
- Helps to bring back happy memories.
- Creates a talking point between caregivers and the loved one.
- Increases caregiver regard for the loved one, so he or she can be seen as a unique person who had an active life rather than as just a patient with disabilities.
- Can be a conversation starter with visitors.
- Decreases the incidence of one-of-a-kind photos disappearing. Precious photos reproduced in the poster are safe and secure.
- Can be enjoyed any time 24/7 without needing assistance to find a book or album.
- Provides the comfort of family when no one can be there.
- Captions below each photo allow caregivers to become instantly familiar with the loved one.
- Posters are made of moisture-resistant, wrinkle resistant, tear resistant, fade/UV resistant, durable material. Finger prints can be easily removed with a damp cloth. Framing is optional.
Notable Research
Engaging brain areas linked to so-called ‘off task’ mental activities (such as reminiscing) can actually boost performance on some challenging mental tasks, according to new research led by neuroscientist R. N. Spreng, Ph.D., at Cornell University.
From the article, Reminiscing Can Help Boost Mental Performance
October 23, 2014
Reminiscence therapy performed over a short period of time in closed groups was shown to be more effective than everyday conversations in the treatment of elderly people with dementia.
From Psychogeriatrics 2008: 8: 124-133, a study conducted by Yumiko Okumura, Ph.D., et al., Effects of Short-term Reminiscence Therapy on Elderly with Dementia: A Comparison with Everyday Conversation Approaches
Memories of the past represent a valuable resource, which can be used to facilitate person-centered care, improve social interaction, or simply provide the theme for an hour’s activity.
From Time to Remember: Introducing Reminiscence into Elderly Care, ISBN 0 95404 3914.
Research has shown that stimulating reminiscence in the elderly can be a meaningful activity and holds promise for positive effects on well-being.
From The Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, Sept 2006, Vol 31, pp. 139-147, Issue 3.
Reminiscing with old photos can help inspire your loved one to remember and talk about his/her past. Talking about events and people may stimulate verbal skills and memories. While not a cure, reminiscing can create a sense of safety and familiarity.
From a publication titled Combination Care for Alzheimer’s, an article entitled The Importance of Keeping Your Loved One Active
Photos and videos from the past, where memories are intact, can be soothing and comforting for persons with Alzheimer’s.
From Dr. Samuel E. Gandy, M.D., PhD., Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation in his review of the article, Physical Surroundings Can Bolster Alzheimer’s Wellness, on November 1, 2003.