Happiness and Humor Group Happiness and Humor Group Promotes Life Satisfaction for Senior Promotes Life Satisfaction for Senior

Center ParticipantsCenter Participants

By: Susan I. MathieuBy: Susan I. Mathieu

Presentation by: Alexandra BascianoPresentation by: Alexandra Basciano

IntroductionIntroduction ProquestProquest Important to have humor in your lifeImportant to have humor in your life Makes you happyMakes you happy

LonelinessLoneliness Elderly people get Elderly people get

lonely oftenlonely often Research proves that Research proves that

loneliness leads to loneliness leads to stress and depression stress and depression which have a which have a negative impact on negative impact on physical health and physical health and healthy aginghealthy aging

TR programsTR programs

The Program: The Happiness and Humor The Program: The Happiness and Humor GroupGroup

1x week for 10 weeks @ a California senior center1x week for 10 weeks @ a California senior center GoalGoal: To improve the lives of participants by increasing : To improve the lives of participants by increasing

their satisfaction of their present living statustheir satisfaction of their present living status 2 Core Elements2 Core Elements: Kindness & Social interaction: Kindness & Social interaction

Physiology of HumorPhysiology of Humor Humor and Laughter:Humor and Laughter:

Positive effect on aging, Positive effect on aging, satisfaction, & quality of lifesatisfaction, & quality of life

Physiological and Physiological and psychological effects on the psychological effects on the body similar to the health body similar to the health benefits of aerobic exercisebenefits of aerobic exercise

Improve immune system, heart Improve immune system, heart functioning, & mental healthfunctioning, & mental health

Can remove neg. effects of Can remove neg. effects of stressstress

Funny videosFunny videos

Increases body’s level Increases body’s level of IgAof IgA

Decreases requests Decreases requests of pain medsof pain meds

You Can Sing It - ClipYou Can Sing It - Clips - South Park Studios - South Park Studios - Flash Player Installs - Flash Player Installationation

Social InteractionSocial Interaction DisengagementDisengagement

Group PsychotherapyGroup Psychotherapy

Group DynamicsGroup Dynamics

ParticipantsParticipants 8 men 9 women ages 65-8 men 9 women ages 65-

89 yrs old89 yrs old Recruited through a Recruited through a

poster which said: poster which said:

““How to get along How to get along with difficult with difficult people, how people, how laughter brings one laughter brings one peace, and learn peace, and learn the art of the art of relaxation”relaxation”

The Happiness & Humor The Happiness & Humor ProgramProgram

Each session addressed factors contributing to Each session addressed factors contributing to happiness and life satisfactionhappiness and life satisfaction

Short lecturesShort lectures Interactive activities to facilitate group discussionInteractive activities to facilitate group discussion Jokes*Jokes* Playful props such as whistles and candiesPlayful props such as whistles and candies

SessionsSessions

1. Candy shows 1. Candy shows personalitypersonality

2. Lighten your load2. Lighten your load

3. Importance of 3. Importance of exercise, nutrition, exercise, nutrition, recreation, & attitude recreation, & attitude to living a happy to living a happy healthy lifehealthy life

SessionsSessions

NutritionNutrition Funny videos of stand Funny videos of stand

up comedians such up comedians such as Ellen DeGeneresas Ellen DeGeneres

Prescription of Prescription of laughterlaughter

1010thth session each session each participant received a participant received a certificate of certificate of achievementachievement

Another funny video Another funny video

YouTube - Greatest freak out ever (ORIGIYouTube - Greatest freak out ever (ORIGINAL VIDEO)NAL VIDEO)

hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha

ImpactImpact Assessed by Lohman’s Assessed by Lohman’s

Life Satisfaction Scale Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS)(LSS)

Participants rate Participants rate themselves on 32 item themselves on 32 item scale, higher the score scale, higher the score greater the participants greater the participants perceived satisfaction w/ perceived satisfaction w/ lifelife

Certified recreation Certified recreation therapist administered the therapist administered the LSS before and after the LSS before and after the programprogram

ResultsResults

LSS scores improved significantlyLSS scores improved significantly Comments by participants also confirmed these Comments by participants also confirmed these

resultsresults

So what?So what?

Humor and laughter do Humor and laughter do promote life satisfactionpromote life satisfaction

More frequent sessions More frequent sessions would be beneficialwould be beneficial

Family support could Family support could be added in as wellbe added in as well

More centers should More centers should offer these types of offer these types of programs!programs!

……

The End!!The End!!