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Dementia patients often suffer from depression, frustration, confusion and anxiety. As the examples above show, laughter plays a crucial role in not only reducing the speed at which dementia progress but also at helping them better cope with its effects. These negative feelings usually lead to behavioral problems like aggression, screaming, wanderings and open hostility to those around them. This is beneficial to the patients as well as the care providers can take care of them in a better, more efficient way.
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Mark Twain, famous for his humorous writings, once wrote that laughter was the only effective weapon possessed by the human race because nothing could stand its assault. Years of medical research have proved that indeed laughter is effective in preventing or reducing the effects of certain medical conditions. Some of the health benefits that have been associated with laughter include reducing insomnia, boosting the immune system and increasing the flow of blood within the body. Recent research has also shown that laughter is beneficial to patients suffering from dementia. This is excellent news as dementia, which affects 11% of Americans above the age of 65 and 36 million people across the world, has no cure. So how exactly does humor help dementia patients?
Reducing Negative Emotions • Dementia patients often suffer from depression, frustration, confusion and anxiety. These negative feelings usually lead to behavioral problems like aggression, screaming, wanderings and open hostility to those around them. Laughter helps in the production of hormones that reduce stress, depression and many of the other negative feelings that the patients face.
Slowing Progression of the Disease • Dementia has no cure. However, there are treatments that can slow down its progress by reducing the rate at which the brain cells are destroyed. Unfortunately, most of these treatments are quite expensive for many dementia patients. Together with exercises that challenge the brain, laughter stimulates faster connections in the brain which can compensate for the damaged cells thus slowing the progress of the disease.
Improving Quality of Care • In the United States, almost 9 in 10 of all dementia patients are cared for by caregivers. Often dementia patients experience behavioral problems like aggression, screaming and wandering. They also show hostility to their caregivers. These behaviors, together with long working hours, usually result in caregivers experiencing stress and depression thus significantly reducing their job effectiveness. Through laughter, care providers can reduce stress, relax better and have healthier social interactions. This is beneficial to the patients as well as the care providers can take care of them in a better, more efficient way. • As the examples above show, laughter plays a crucial role in not only reducing the speed at which dementia progress but also at helping them better cope with its effects. However, it should be noted that dementia patients usually lose their usual sense of humor as the disease progresses. This does not mean that they cannot laugh; it is just that they change their sense of humor. They may start finding funny jokes that previously they would not have found funny. Caregivers should be keen to note this changing sense of humor so that they don't lose their ability to make the dementia patients under their care laugh.
Thank You • With Home Care Assistance of Farmington on your side, caring for an aging loved one is no longer a daunting responsibility. Instead, it is a loving and rewarding experience. If you need assistance with the care of your senior call our Home Care office at (248) 283-0835. • Address : 33401 Woodward Ave.Birmingham, MI 48009 • Web : http://homecareassistancefarmington.com
