Laughter Yoga with our, "Young at Hearts"

“I love this woman… she is living her best life, what an inspirational woman!!!”
Zeba, Lifestyle Coordinator, Amica Unionville

 

“Thank you so much Kathryn! They highly enjoyed laughing with you and we were testing out our “belly laughs” for the rest of the day”!
Jasmine Yuile, Chartwell Queens, Cambridge ON

With a distinct rise in life expectancy due to advances in medical science, the population of senior citizens is likely to triple by the year 2020.

As the joint family structure crumbles and youngsters steer away from parents, the seniors, find themselves alone either in aged care facilities or old-age homes. They are prone to frequent bouts of depression that often leads to a debilitating condition.

Factors Affecting our “Young at Hearts” and How Laughter Yoga Can Help

Retirement: The biggest stressor for seniors is a feeling of being useless after retirement. It leads to major depression and mental agony. Lack of importance creates frustration and many a times proves extremely detrimental to physical and mental health.

Extended Hearty Laughter helps to reduce stress and generate a positive attitude. Laughing together in a group helps to boost self-esteem and overcome feelings of insecurity.

Lack of Bonding: Laughter Yoga is especially beneficial for older people. Seniors are always in need of human contact. While most of them are surrounded by like-minded peers, they still miss the bonding of a family. They need someone close with whom they can share their emotions.

Laughter Yoga sessions have the power to reach beyond the healing of laughter. The effective network of caring-sharing relationships is the key to a happy and healthy life. Relationships with people become very strong and the feeling of loneliness dissipates. Seniors enjoy the daily meetings as it generates a sense of belonging. Laughter Yoga can give seniors that much needed feeling of closeness and fraternity.                                                                                     welcome inn

 Physical immobility: Sedentary lifestyle, illness and lack of physical exercise cause stiffness of limbs and muscles, leads to immobility and pain and aches.

Laughter Exercises coupled with deep diaphragmatic breathing are simple, structured and a lot of fun. They are easy, safe, and economical and provide a genuine form of physical exercise. Regardless of any limitations cognitive or physical, they are appropriate for all. Extended Hearty Laughter is known to increase muscle movement, mobility and boost the immune system. It increases disease fighting cells and proteins, and triggers release of endorphins (body’s natural painkillers)

Decline of cognitive faculties: Faced with age and age-related troubles, seniors find that their physical and mental faculties decrease. With the beginning of certain diseases like Alzheimers and Senile Dementia, the capacity to comprehend humor declines. The degeneration of the brain cells makes it difficult for many seniors to understand and organize facts, let alone humor. Simple tasks become difficult, frustration levels rise making it harder for them to laugh.

Under such conditions Laughter Yoga is ideal for seniors to reap the scientifically proved benefits of laughter to improve their health and well-being. It helps to provide an emotional bonding and is one of the most powerful tools against depression.

 In the past 7 years I have facilitated laughter yoga classes across Ontario  to over 500 different retirement homes and long term centres.

I believe regardless of a person’s cognitive abilities Laughter Yoga is a fun and easy way to exercise the body and mind with healthy laughter.

Since humor is an intellectual phenomenon, seniors find it difficult to laugh without a reason. This is where Laughter Yoga helps them to be able to laugh and start living a life full of joy once again. Being a physical process, it does not require any mental abilities thus helping the older people to understand humor without using their cognitive faculties. A few hours of laughter every day will increase your memory, thinking ability and intellectual capacity.

Physical illness: Scientific studies have proven that the reason of frequent sickness is because there is a lack of oxygen in the body cells. Laughter Exercises and Deep Breathing help to attain good health by increasing the supply of oxygen. People in the Laughter Clubs with chronic pain, migraines, headaches and asthma have found attacks to become less frequent, and in some cases, to disappear completely. Many members with high blood pressure, severe spinal, neck or shoulder problems and even diabetes have found their life normalizing eventually requiring no medication. Many members with depression, anxiety and chronic stress related diseases have reported moving from debilitating fear and  anxiety to a more positive state of mind, transforming their quality of life.                                                                                  

Laughter Yoga is the Best Medicine

Laughter Yoga is indeed the best medicine to be prescribed for seniors to keep them in good cheer. A good Hearty Laughter gets rid of stress, worry and depression. It touches the emotional core and alleviates feelings of loneliness and isolation. Besides being the panacea for good health, laughter generates positive thoughts and reduces the negative strains.

Hundreds and thousands have benefited by Laughter Yoga, a great therapeutic alternative that combines Laughter Exercises with Yogic Deep Breathing, for a complete workout of wellness. Elderly people suffer from a variety of diseases due to their reduced immunity, and a lifelong of possible unhealthy habits. Although not all diseases can be cured, laughter brings several positive changes. It is an instant stress buster, which helps to reduce the risk factors for cardiac diseases arising due to stress. Laughter helps to reduce blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels.

Social Laughter Clubs A Boon for the Elderly                                                         

The simple fact is that, for humans to be happy, we need a network of healthy emotional relationships with a group of people who care about us and about whom we care. Social Laughter Clubs have the power to reach beyond the healing of laughter. The effective network of caring-sharing relationships is the key to a happy and healthy life. Relationships with people with whom one laughs with regularly becomes very strong.

 Happiness through Emotional Networking

Sadly, for many elderly people, modern life does not include a network of caring and sharing relationships — The lack of two-way emotional dialogue and relationship leaves them without emotional grounding, often resulting in feelings of isolation and loneliness.

The amount of time spent with others is not what matters; it is the quality of interaction that is important. If there is lack of warmth and friendliness, it leads to anxiety and stress among the elderly. To facilitate better physical and mental health, Laughter Clubs provide a rich social network of people who care about one another, and perhaps even more importantly, a way of getting to know new people who we care about. This provides a sense of emotional security which resists stress and depression the number one sickness in seniors.

An hour session includes the history of Laughter Yoga, a laughter introduction, a warm-up involving stretching and breathing,
the seven main benefits of laughing, involving a combination of interactive laughter and deep breathing exercises, (no poses),
brain fitness exercises, tapping into our child-like spirit, using our imagination, clapping, singing, playing, and a cool down.

The session with seniors is not just about laughter. It entails creating a connection with them, building a rapport by talking, listening and physical touch.

A smile goes a long way to establish a bond with seniors who are in need of care and empathy. It creates an ambience of belonging and generates the much needed feeling of closeness and fraternity. Laughter sessions help them to share similar interests and instill familiarity and intimacy.
It gives them the opportunity to confide their emotions and express themselves freely.

Laughter Yoga exercises are simple, structured and entertaining. They are easy and safe, and provide a genuine form of physical exercise. They are appropriate for all, regardless of their cognitive, sensorial or motor abilities/limitations. People’s participation is invited and not imposed.

Laughter Yoga appears to lift depression and replace it with a positive outlook. Health improves, many chronic ailments disappear, the exercise improves mobility, communication and relations also improve.

The next time you walk by a senior give them a toothy smile and a giggle and I guarantee it will brighten their day. One day, that will be you.

Call 905.574.1765 to laugh virtually or on sight internationally

“They say laughter is the best medicine! Big thanks again laughing Kathryn for sharing a laugh with our residents during our monthly Laughter Yoga Session”!

I just wanted to thank you so much for such a great session!  I had a ball, and I think that it’s safe to say that everyone else did as well (based on their reactions).
You did a phenomenal job of leading and keeping everyone engaged which can be a challenge on Zoom.  Kudos to you!!!!  I will be in touch to book another session!  Thank you again.  What great work you do.

Erica Miskiman

Team Leader, Carefor-Perley Rideau Day Program

Hi Kathryn,
I got an incredible letter from one of our residents about how much she enjoyed your class! She had mentioned that being a caregiver to a husband with dementia she experiences a lot of sadness and depression but your class gave her something she really needed. 
     I hope you had the same great experience. I would love to book a few more dates with you … maybe a once a month program?

Nicole Pereira

Lifestyle Manager, Pearl & Pine Signature Retirement Living

Kathryn,
I’d like to thank you for helping me to learn to laugh again. As I mentioned, I have been struggling with depression. The first week of laughter yoga at Sackville Hill Senior Recreation Centre I had trouble remembering what it was like to laugh. Now, after several weeks, it has become easier to smile and laugh. I sincerely thank you for the positive difference you have made in my life”.

Joanne

Hi Kathryn,
Thank you ever so much for the amazing laughter yoga yesterday.
I can’t tell you all of the positive feedback from our caregivers – they just loved it and received so much from the experience. There was endless good vibes and appreciation for your work.
Very inspirational and the feeling carried through for me at least the whole evening.
Incredibly powerful! 
Exactly what our intention was for the wellness day. We most certainly look forward to working with you again!
Have a lovely day and very good, very good YEAH!!!!!!

Ana Nunes-Freitas

Wellness/ Caregiver Education Coordinator/Alzheimer Servi, Acclaim Health

Aloha Ha beauhootiful laughing friend!
You are the most gifted, genuinely joy-filled person I have ever met. Just thinking about you makes me smile which often turns into a little giggle.
     You were such a lovely surprise and a real hit for our guests at the Strawberry Shortcake & Ice Cream Social! It blessed my heart and still does when I think of all the smiles and arms in the air.
     Thanks again so very much for quite naturally bringing such joy to our lovely group. I will never forget seeing all those delightful faces responding to your arms and cheers in the air…so beautiful.
Thank you lovely friend for quite naturally sharing joy wherever you go!

Kristin Courtney

Owner, Access Abilities

HERE ARE A FEW FAMOUS CLIENTS I HAVE WORKED WITH SO FAR

Pin It on Pinterest