‘Laughter Care’ gets the Governor-General giggle of approval

We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine, but The Humour Foundation has turned their clowning around into a life-changing support for older Australians.

Laughter Care, a program run by the Humour Foundation, harnesses the power of silliness to improve the quality of life of older people experiencing dementia or social isolation in aged care.

Studies show that almost half of Australian aged care residents are depressed. Humour is an easy way to build social connection, lower blood-pressure and release endorphins. The Humour Foundation's research shows a significant decrease in agitation and depression with the introduction of Laughter Care.

Laughter Care performers "skilfully adapt their approach to the aged care setting and each resident they meet through sharing songs from a bygone era, playfully seeking advice, giving unhurried attention or connecting over costumes, objects and stories reminiscent of a more familiar time. These interactions enhance the wellbeing, dignity and happiness of residents."

Recently appointed Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Her Excellency Sam Mostyn AC saw this in action during a visit to newly opened Cranbrook Care facility, Lansdowne Gardens on Wycombe.

Emma Pollard, chief of The Humour Foundation, said the Laughter Care program is a professional partnership that brings together medicine and the arts.

“We are delighted that one of the Governor General’s first official engagement outside Canberra was to observe our Laughter Care program in action at Lansdowne Gardens on Wycombe. It is an initiative which is built upon the principles of care, dignity, kindness and respect – all of which were highlighted as priorities during the Governor-General’s swearing-in speech.

"Our Laughter Care performers are talented, empathetic and genuinely caring, and The Humour Foundation is proud to deliver this service across five Cranbrook Care locations which all go above and beyond to support the wellbeing of residents,” Ms Pollard said.

Cranbrook Care CEO Lee Carissa said she has seen first hand the impact a good laugh has had on aged care residents.

“We chose to introduce laughter therapy to bring joy to our residents, especially those who are a little more introverted, those who have experienced a recent loss or those with conditions that make communication more challenging,” Ms Carissa said.

“Humour has been shown to deliver significant benefits for the elderly, and we have witnessed exceptional results since implementing the Laughter Care program. It is wonderful to see our residents’ genuine delight when ‘Monty’ arrives each week, to watch him cleverly identify how to connect with each individual and to see them singing, clapping and laughing along, and we were honoured to welcome the Governor General and to show her firsthand the impact of this important collaboration.

“We are committed to looking after the social and emotional wellbeing of our residents, as well as their physical care, and our staff have learnt and adopted tactics from the Laughter Care sessions which they are using to break down barriers when interacting with some of our less social residents."