Perhaps given the author's familial experiences with the tragedy of Alzheimers, it's a sort of therapy.

I'm not saying it's effective, but perhaps doing such an exercise and having it lead to the circular "remembering nothing but remembering", it might help folks empathise with the fallibility of the mind when others suffer a disease like Alzheimers.

Or maybe the author is just a curious sort. Either way, not my place to judge.