Our attention is called to the tendency of elderly persons to reminisce, not related per se to intelligence or intellectual deterioration. Reminiscing is seen as performing an adaptive ego function which enables the elderly individual to maintain self-esteem, reaffirm a sense of identity, re-establish continuity with the past, and perform the work of mourning in regard to lost love objects. In addition calling upon the wisdom of the past offers at least the illusion of contributing to solutions of present problems.