Introduction
The natural aging process, affecting the social-biological aspects, can compromise organ functions, leading to progressive disabilities in personal and social responsibilities. Such limitations are particularly evident in older individuals' social and psychological dimensions, impacting personal and social communication networks. Despite these challenges, the social and psychological aspects significantly influence health. As the elderly population grows, the focus on health problems, especially mental health issues, becomes more crucial. The health concerns of the elderly encompass both physical, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and psychological, including depression and anxiety. Notably, psychiatric disorders affect approximately 80 percent of seniors residing in nursing homes, with depression being the most prevalent at 17 percent. Public health for the elderly encompasses physical health and functioning, as well as addressing anxiety and depression.
What Does the Laughter Do to the Body?
Laughter induces synchronized contractions of facial muscles, elevates respiratory rate, boosts blood flow, and triggers the release of adrenaline, culminating in feelings of joy and happiness. It serves as a cost-effective preventive measure against numerous diseases and aids in their combat. Also, laughter reduces heart rate and blood pressure while enhancing oxygen intake through deep breaths, providing dual mental and physical health benefits.
Persistent secretion of stress-induced hormones from psychological stress can compromise the immune system, exposing internal organs to pressure and increasing susceptibility to infections. The research underscores laughter’s crucial role in fortifying the immune system and sustaining overall health.
Positive psychological effects of laughter include stress reduction, anxiety alleviation, and potential contributions to minimizing obesity, positively impacting physical health. Laughter therapy clubs gather individuals for laughter exercises, starting artificially and gradually transitioning to genuine laughter, releasing anti-stress and joyful hormones. Laughing engages the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormones, and promoting relaxation.
Why Is Laughter Therapy Recommended for Geriatric People?
With advancements in medical science, global life expectancy has risen, significantly increasing the elderly population. Unfortunately, their quality of life is declining due to health issues and the loneliness that accompanies the departure of younger family members. The solution lies in providing companionship and an outlet for emotional expression. Laughter therapy addresses these challenges effectively. It is a beneficial health-building exercise and fosters a sense of togetherness, creating a surrogate family atmosphere and enhancing the overall quality of life for seniors. Laughter therapy becomes a compelling reason for elders to embrace each day fully, offering a simple and accessible exercise routine practiced even by individuals in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. It is a powerful tool for transformative aging and an avenue for increased longevity, supported by numerous research studies highlighting the positive impacts of laughter therapy on seniors.
Laughter therapy is well-suited for seniors, especially those facing challenges like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which often diminish their ability to engage in laughter naturally. Understanding humor and jokes becomes more difficult for older adults as cognitive abilities decline. Laughter therapy becomes an ideal solution by infusing more laughter into their lives. Given its focus on physical activity, it serves as an excellent exercise program for seniors, offering numerous benefits without heavy reliance on mental or cognitive functions.
When it comes to geriatric people, they can be categorized into two groups: those who are retired and still active, and those in assisted living. Introducing laughter therapy early in retirement can significantly contribute to a better quality of life for more years, potentially delaying the need for nursing home care. For seniors in assisted living facilities, laughter therapy is valuable in promoting physical and mental well-being.
What Are the Health Benefits of Laughter Therapy in Geriatric People?
As individuals age, they often grapple with age-related health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and various chronic conditions, leading to frequent visits to doctors and hospitals. Laughter therapy promotes healing by fortifying the immune system, enhancing blood circulation, and increasing oxygen supply to the body’s cells. It is a potent cardiovascular workout, particularly beneficial for seniors who may struggle with conventional physical exercises due to mobility challenges.
In addition to addressing physical health, laughter therapy proves instrumental in supporting good mental health for seniors facing depression, loneliness, and frustration. As they contend with the loss of loved ones and declining health, maintaining a positive mental attitude becomes increasingly challenging. Laughter therapy can alter a person’s biochemistry, fostering good mental health despite challenging circumstances.
Laughter therapy rapidly fosters tightly-knit communities and extended families on a global scale. Recognizing the perpetual need for human contact and connection among elders, laughter therapy establishes a network of supportive relationships characterized by care and sharing- an essential element for a joyful and healthy life that dispels loneliness.
It actively promotes robust social bonding, fostering connections among friends and relatives and residents in care facilities, caregivers, and medical personnel.
Some research and studies explored the positive effects of laughter therapy, particularly in the context of elderly daycare centers. Laughter therapy, a noninvasive and cost-free approach, significantly improved physiological functions, including a notable reduction in blood pressure and heart rate. This reduction is attributed to parasympathetic activation, indicating relaxation and stress reduction. The study also observed lowered levels of stress hormones and an increase in serotonin concentration, contributing to mental well-being.
Laughter therapy exhibited potential benefits for endothelial function, suggesting a role in preventing stress-induced cardiovascular events in older individuals. Furthermore, it demonstrated positive effects on psychological function, reducing depressive feelings, improving sociability, and enhancing motivation for rehabilitation activities. Overall, laughter therapy emerged as a valuable tool for promoting physical and mental health for geriatric people.
Conclusion
Using laughter as a human asset proves instrumental in mitigating both short-term and long-term stress, leading to a substantial increase in overall quality of life. Therapeutic laughter, as a non-invasive, cost-effective, and readily implementable intervention, serves as an impactful complementary therapy, effectively reducing the severity of various mental illnesses. When alleviating stress levels, laughter therapy emerges as a more effective intervention, promoting well-being and reducing stress among the elderly.
