We all know aging isn’t a laughing matter. However, tickling an elderly loved one’s funny bone can promote his or her emotional wellbeing. Kitchener at-home care experts want to share some interesting ways to coax a laugh and keep senior life pleasant.
Enroll Your Loved One in a Laughter Yoga Club
Laughter yoga is an exercise routine of guided techniques performed in a group setting. Developed by an Indian doctor approximately 20 years ago, laughter yoga has been proven to lower cortisol by 28 percent and blood pressure by 6 percent. Exercises include breathing, clapping, singing, dancing, and playing. Since laughter is contagious, being part of one of these groups can easily summon joy.
There are three ways your loved one can practice laughter yoga:
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Join a local laughter yoga club. You can find one in your loved one’s area by visiting: http://www.laughteryoga.org/english/club/find_club.
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Join a club on Skype. Your loved one will be added to the list of invitations to laughter sessions. The club leader broadcasts a group message approximately 10 minutes before the start of a meeting, then makes a telephone call, extending an invitation to join the conference. Upon answering the call, your loved one begins a 10-minute practice of guided laughter. Details on joining a Skype laughter club are available at: http://www.laughteryoga.org/english/club/club_details/56.
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Perform laughter yoga alone. For instructions and exercises, visit: http://laughteryoga.org/english/laughteryoga/details/321.
Play Charades
This pantomime game nearly always elicits laughter. The object is to communicate a phrase, person, or thing without using words. One person acts out clues while others guess. Here are brief instructions:
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You can start the game as the leader. Think of a movie, song, book, saying, or famous person your loved one is likely familiar with.
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Pantomime the phrase using nonverbal clues. For example, you and your loved one can pretend to sing, turn the pages of a book, or crank an old movie camera.
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Indicate the number of words by holding up your fingers. For the first word, hold up one finger. For the second, hold up two fingers, and so on.
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Tug on your ear to indicate a word rhymes with another.
Attend a Comedy Show
Visit a comedy club with your loved one for guaranteed laughter. If you and your loved one have never been to one, here are two of the most common formats for comedy shows:
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Headliner – Three performers will entertain you: a Master of Ceremonies (MC), a feature, and a headliner. The MC makes announcements, warms up the crowd, introduces other performers, and interacts with the audience. The feature is typically a 15-minute act, and the headliner is the star of the program, performing for a longer period.
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Showcase – The show is introduced by an MC, followed by several comedians who perform for equal lengths of time.
Laughing is a wonderful way to keep your loved one emotionally healthy. For other solutions to promote your loved one’s emotional wellbeing, reach out to Home Care Assistance. Our caregivers make wonderful social companions and can help your loved one perform a variety of daily tasks that make it easier to remain independent at home. We also offer specialized Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and stroke home care Kitchener families trust. For more information and to schedule a free consultation, call (519) 954-2111 today.