First up are the details for attending Laughter Boss Training in 2012. Although Perth, Melbourne and Sydney have already had their training sessions this year, you can attend any of the following dates: 25 May – Brisbane, 1 June – Gold Coast, 8 June – Newcastle, 22 June – Canberra, 6 July – Hobart, and 27 July – Adelaide. Registrations through The Humour Foundation – send an email for a registration form to info@clowndoctors.org.au or phone +61 8978 4500. This is some of the feedback from Laughter Boss Graduates: “When staff join in, morale is boosted for the day”, “Domino effect promoting conversation and stimulating interaction”, “The simple things work best”, “Dementia clients demonstrate most change such as reduced challenging behaviours”, “Laughter from both residents and visiting family with all joining in”, “Great QA for our accreditation and audits”.

Why should you become a Laughter Boss? Well, if you want to have fun, and lighten the load for yourself and others, then it is for you. If you work in Aged care or a hospital setting, it is for you. If you want to help change the culture of your organisation, and turn it into a place where there is a waiting list for staff to wanting be employed there because of the fun you have, and the positive change to people’s lives that you will make, it is for you. Dr Belinda Goodenough discussed the SMILE Study: the use of Humour with dementia and practical tips, showing data that clearly indicates the use of humour vs drugs to modify behaviour, in particular reducing a patient or residents agitation, is valid.  Dr Peter Spitzer ran a two hour Workshop last Friday Transfer Workshop: Do you want to update your knowledge in key areas of dementia care called: “Humour in Practice – Tickling Stress Before it Tackles You”.  The summary of the positive effects of laughter, based on clinical research, included the following.

Psychological effects of laughter

• Enhances communication
• Enhances education/learning
• Stress reduction
• Mood elevation
• Reduced anxiety
• Improved performance
• Positively associated with emotional stability, creativity, self-esteem and optimism
• Negatively associated with distress and depression
• Activates facial feedback
• Modulation of the “reward centre”

Physiological effects of laughter

• Longevity
• Reduced pain and increased pain threshold
• Enhanced relaxation response – including muscle relaxation
• Reduces stress hormone
• Improves immune system functioning
• Lowers BP
• Increases blood oxygenation
• Increases beta-endorphin and human growth hormone
• Improves cardiovascular health; laughter linked to healthy endothelial functioning.

This is a list of resources worth reading.

Stuart Brown, MD, Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination and invigorates the soul, Avery, ISBN 978-1-58333-333-4

Bernie Siegel, MD, Love, Medicine and Miracles, Harper Perennial, ISBN 0-06-091983-3 (he is one of my all time favourite happiness and health authors!)

Patty Wooten, RN, Compassionate Laughter, Commune-a-Key, ISBN 1-881394-44-1

Bell, Troxon, Cox & Hamon, The Best Friends book of Alzheimer’s Activities, Volume 1, Health Professions Press, ISBN 13: 978-1-878812-88-9

Hilary Lee & Trevor Adams (Eds), Creative Approaches in Dementia Care, Talgrave MacMillan, ISBN 13: 978-0230231658