‘Playing it up’ at IRT
Seniors community lifestyle and care provider, IRT Dalmeny Care Centre, is reportedly one of the first in Australia to introduce a humour therapy program that improves the quality of life for people with dementia.
Seniors community lifestyle and care provider, IRT Dalmeny Care Centre, is reportedly one of the first in Australia to introduce a humour therapy program that improves the quality of life for people with dementia.
The Play Up program, which involves visits to an aged care facility by a specially trained humour therapist, was introduced to the centre earlier this month.
The humour therapist works with trained aged care staff to create longlasting, playful relationships with residents, particularly those living with dementia, to encourage them to enjoy participating more in life.
Play Up has been developed using the results of a world first study (The SMILE Study) conducted by University of NSW’s Dementia Collaborative Research Centre (DCRC).
The randomised controlled trial looked into the effects of humour therapy on 400 residents in 36 Australian aged care facilities between 2008 and 2011.
The study showed humour therapy was as effective as widely used anti-psychotic drugs in managing agitation experienced by people living with dementia, but without the side effects.
Happiness and positive behaviour levels rose while the humour therapy was in place but decreased again after it ceased. The study also found the more humour therapy a person had the greater social engagement and reduction in depression.
IRT area manager, Helen Spence, said: “IRT Dalmeny Care Centre is home for our residents; hence it is essential we smile, laugh and find humour in different situations just like we do in our own homes.
“Research shows social engagement and laughing reduces anxiety and depression. With the help of the professionals from the Arts Health Institute (AHI) we are aiming to smile and laugh a little more with our residents.”
As well as Play Up, AHI is developing teaching programs and creating networks to advance the arts in health care as well as research in the field.
