Remember, we want this to be a conversation, not a test. Asking question after question might feel like a good way to help work their memory but often just leads to feelings of frustration and defeat.
Reminiscing reminds the person of accomplishments, happy memories, and their skills. We also are taking advantage of long term memory (rather than short term) which is often stronger. There is some evidence to suggest that reminiscing may improve day to day communication and language skills as well!
Reminiscing is great because it can be used with almost anyone! For some, they can engage in a back and forth conversation. For others, they can reminisce by having a communication partner looking at photos/memorabilia and providing descriptions and comments.
This can be a helpful tool for communication partners too as it gives an outline for possible conversations.
References ome. Alzheimer’s Disease International. https://www.alzint.org/. Accessed 8/12/2026 Rose, N., Whitworth, A., Smart, S., Oliver, E., & Cartwright, J. (2020). “I remember when … ”: The impact of reminiscence therapy on discourse production in older adults with cognitive impairment. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 22(3), 359–371. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2020.1747542