Do Personal Mementos Improve Older Adults’ Memory Accessibility and Well Being?

Barcelona, Spain · May 2026

Posters · Thinking & Remembering: Attention, Memory & Control

Olivia Rissetto
Fairfield University
Linda Henkel
Fairfield University

Abstract

This study examines how personal mementos impact autobiographical memory and well-being in adults aged 70 and older. In a Zoom interview, participants interact with keepsakes. We hypothesize that personal mementos elicit faster and more vivid autobiographical memories and enhance mental health outcomes, including positive mood, life meaning, and social connectedness.

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Do Personal Mementos Improve Older Adults’ Memory Accessibility and Well Being?

Abstract

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