What is the role of life review therapy in palliative care, and what outcomes are improved?

• A. It focuses on medical symptom tracking only.
• B. It increases denial about illness.
• C. It helps patients narrate life and affirm meaning; improves mood, reduces distress, and enhances sense of dignity.
• D. It replaces the need for family support.

Answer: (C)

Life review therapy in palliative care centers on guiding patients to reflect on their life experiences, share their stories, and affirm meaning and continuity as they approach end of life. This psychosocial process helps organize memories into a coherent narrative and can even involve creating a legacy or keepsake, reinforcing a sense of identity and purpose.

As patients articulate their experiences and values, emotional and existential distress often decreases. Mood improves, anxiety and distress related to illness lessen, and a stronger sense of dignity emerges, which is a core goal in late-life care.

This approach isn’t about tracking medical symptoms, it isn’t about denying illness, and it doesn’t replace the importance of family support. Instead, it complements psychosocial care and family involvement, making the option that highlights narration of life, affirmation of meaning, and improvements in mood, distress, and dignity the best description of its role and outcomes.