iSavta | 28.10.2020
As caregivers, you may have noticed that your senior patients can have dull moments and confusing times. They may be also stressed and depressed due to some health or memory issues like Parkinson’s, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other serious ailments due to aging. You must have heard the cliche: Laughter is the best medicine. And yes, it still is! We have listed for you some of the best ways to make your seniors laugh.
Reasons Behind That Frown
But first, we need to write down the reasons that they may cause them to be unhappy at times:
- Lesser Physical Mobility and Exercise
- Stress and Depression
- The decline of Cognitive Faculties
- Isolation or Feeling of Detachment
- Physical Ailment and Diseases
Best Ways to Make Them Laugh
Here are our recommended ways to help you bring that smile and laughter to your senior patients’ life now.
1. Tell jokes.
There are books and resources that you can get from. There are websites that you can get the best jokes for seniors. Mostly age-appropriate jokes can also trigger laughter because they can relate to the jokes.
2. Create a laughter central.
It can be a jar or a box with random notes, jokes, short stories, and other activities for your seniors. It can be placed in the living room or any of your common rooms. It will be a reminder to get one and smile at least once a day.
3. Try that tongue twister.
There are thousands of tongue twisters that you can find online. Tongue twisters work for all ages and seniors can find it very silly to do or NOT to do a tongue twister.
4. Costume for a day.
Wear a costume for today and never mind if it is not Halloween yet. Costumes are fun to put on and if you are ready for a photo shoot, then snap some pictures. It also doesn’t have to be a full costume but it can be a silly hat or a red squeaky nose that you can wear. A giggle to full-on laughter is guaranteed.
5. Dance like no one’s watching.
Strike up a freestyle dancing class with your costume or silly hats. Aside from laughter, they get to enjoy an impromptu exercise that they can enjoy.
6. Grandparenting Day.
There are studies that show that having youngsters around their elderly loved ones helps keep their stress away. The young, vibrant energy from toddlers, kids, and teens spreads throughout the household.
How Does Laughter Help Seniors?
Now, we know the different ways that we can help our senior patients laughter-wise. But how does laughter really help them?
Laughter can be a release for these senior patients with feelings of isolation, stress, and depression. There are studies that show that laughter can increase the level of positivity in elderly patients thus helping them see their aging and the existing situation in a different light. If they have a serious injury or ailment, they are 30% more likely to survive this illness with laughter and a sense of humor.
If you research more about laughter, you will see a thousand and one more ways how it can help your senior patient. So try it now and see the result.
