How to integrate humor and laughter into elderly care
Aging can be a source of great stress for both the elderly person and their caregiver, and many of the difficulties they face aren’t laughing matter. However, humor can still be a very effective tool to improve the elderly person’s state of mind and make the caregiving process smoother and more pleasant. Furthermore, laughter itself has several benefits for mental and even physical health, such as strengthening the immune system, increasing oxygen consumption, relieving pain and stress, and improving cognitive function. So here are some tips on how you can incorporate humor into the care of your elderly family member.
Exchange funny stories
Everyday life is often one of the greatest sources of humor. Tell funny stories to your elderly relative and encourage them to tell funny stories from their own life. It’s a good way for the senior to work on their memory, their ability to socialize and it strengthens the bond between the senior and the caregiver.
Watch comedy movies
Choose a movie to watch together with your elderly loved one. It can be a movie they haven’t seen before or one they saw some time ago. Ideally, it should be a movie appropriate for their age, but modern films that suit their sense of humor are also suitable. Check if the elderly person can follow subtitles or if the movie needs to be in their native language.
Watch comedy programs
Alternatively, if you have less time or if it’s more to the liking of the elderly relative, you can also watch a comedy program. Comedy series, or sitcoms, are suitable in this context, whether more modern or from the older person’s time, due to their simple and light humor. Old animated shorts are also a good choice, as they have little to no dialogue.
Play funny board games
Games like Pictionary, charades, or “Who Am I?” are good recreational activities to organize between you and an older person or between them their elederly friends, in order to promote socialization and reduce feelings of isolation.
Go to a comedy show
Any show is an effective way to take your elderly relative out of the house and promote interactions with other people. In terms of comedy shows, it could be a comedy play or musical, or even a simple stand-up session.
It is important, however, whether you tell jokes or funny stories or provide certain pieces of playful entertainment, to be mindful of the following factors:
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- Avoid offensive, uncomfortable, or inappropriate humor and jokes
- Do not overuse humor so as not to give the elderly person the impression that they are not being taken seriously
- Pay attention to the sense of humor of people with cognitive impairments or dementia, who may be confused or disturbed by certain jokes
- Approach the elderly relative with more empathy and sensitivity when they are sad or depressed
- Do not let humor devalue serious or grave situations
As long as it’s used intelligently and carefully, humor is an excellent tool to improve the health of elderly relatives, make the caregiving process easier and smoother, and strengthen the bond between the elderly person and the caregiver. KindCare believes it is important to care for each elderly person in a fun and relaxed way, without sacrificing professionalism and attention to detail. If this is the care you want for your family member, contact us through this website or by calling 960 139 517.