Spiritual Reminiscence Therapy for Older Persons With Dementia: A Scoping Review

Objective Spirituality is a core component of person-centred dementia care, yet spiritual needs may be under-recognised as cognition and communication decline. Spiritual Reminiscence Therapy (SRT) is a structured intervention that emphasises meaning-making and existential reflection rather than autobiographical recall alone. We examined the clinical outcomes and implementation characteristics of SRT in older adults with dementia. Methods A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and reported in accordance with PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Electronic databases (Cochrane, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed and PsycINFO) were searched from inception to 26 December 2025, supplemented by grey literature and reference screening. Eligible English-language quantitative and qualitative studies evaluating SRT in adults aged ≥65 years with dementia were included. Data were synthesised descriptively. Results Four studies met inclusion criteria (2 qualitative, 1 randomized controlled trial, 1 prospective cohort study). SRT was associated with improvements in spiritual well-being, life meaning and hope. Psychological outcomes suggested increased life satisfaction and reduced depressive symptoms. Qualitative findings indicated enhanced social connectedness in residential care settings. Evidence for cognitive benefit was inconsistent and clinically modest, and functional outcomes were rarely assessed. Reporting of intervention delivery and implementation processes was variable. Conclusions SRT may improve meaning-related and depressive symptoms in persons with dementia, however extant evidence is limited and methodologically heterogenous. Future research prioritizing standardised outcomes, longer follow-up and formal implementation evaluation are needed before broader integration into routine psychogeriatric practice.