Reaching Out with Laughter
Background: Laughter lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones,increases muscle flexibility,and boosts the immune system.Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins that decrease pain and produce a general feeling of well being.
Aim: In 2001;develop a laughter program,for people who were socially isolated,emotionally challanged and/or who have complex medical problems, which could be used in an urban or rural location. In 2002; develop an accompanying laughter program action kit. In 2003; develop an interactive facillitators training workshop.
Results: Participants(clients)in the programs selfreported a number of positive benefits. The COOP Quality of Life Charts(1987) completed by participants showed an improvement in their wellbeing. Facilitators also reported positive benefits. In 2002; The rural and urban based groups continued. The first drafts of the Kit were put together and Health Promotion funding was sort. In 2003; The established groups continued. A number of'short course' groups were run in different settings as part of 'health promotion' activities. The Laughter Kit was published and officially launched. The kit has proved a useful resource. A training program was undertaken with staff in a psychiatric unit in order to incorporate a laughter program into the out-patient program. Further opportunities arose to promote the program to an increasingly wider audience amongst which have been other community health social work groups, cancer support groups, vietnam veteran support programs, the 'We Are Here' program at a womens prison, mental health support services and diversional therapists in residential care facillities. An interactive workshop for facilitator training was developed. This is a halfday workshop covering theory, theatre sport activity aimed at overcoming facilitator inhibition, and working with the program.
Conclusion: Laughter therapy is cheap to administer, needs minimal equipment, has many documented benefits and can be delivered equally wellin an urban or rural location. It should therefore be seriously considered as a relevent treatment option for people with chronic health problems, for people who are socially isolated and for people who are emotionally challanged.