Turning frowns ‘upside down’
Australia’s well-known comedian and humour therapist, Jean-Paul Bell, encourages aged care residents to “loosen up whenever and wherever” they can – and this begins with having a good old laugh. Since creating and co-founding the Humour Foundation and the Clown Doctor Program in 1996, Mr Bell has been adamant to show the world – and the elderly – that laughter really is the best medicine.
Australia’s well-known comedian and humour therapist, Jean-Paul Bell, encourages aged care residents to “loosen up whenever and wherever” they can – and this begins with having a good old laugh.
Since creating and co-founding the Humour Foundation and the Clown Doctor Program in 1996, Mr Bell has been adamant to show the world – and the elderly – that laughter really is the best medicine.
After bringing smiles to the faces of children through charity work at hospitals, Mr Bell tells DPS News he realised “not a lot was happening at the other end of life”.
For 12 months he was involved in a project, The Smile Study, a federally funded randomised trial with the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre at the University of NSW, where he visited 18 aged care homes delivering fun and laughter to elderly people
suffering with dementia.
“I began to realise the problem is there is often a lack of stimulation. Life – and aged care – should be about enjoying life, sharing a laugh with friends and encouraging staff to do the same… let your own natural sense of humour come out,” he adds.
Comparing aged care to a “bad cruise you can’t get off”, Mr Bell admits the sector has “enormous potential to improve”.
“Aged care staff should listen to the people they are looking after and go with an open heart and great empathy,” he urges.
A new Australian film, The Smile Within, to be screened at Parliament House yesterday (Tuesday, 14 February 2012), will show Mr Bell’s visits to aged care facilities in the landmark The Smile Study, ahead of its national screening next month.
The film documents Mr Bell’s humour and tactics to improve the management of dementia in aged care facilities.
From his work, he has learnt some valuable things and advises older people to “keep dodging and weaving to remain flexible until their last breath”.
Mr Bell confesses the best thing about his job is the “heart connection”, as he has the opportunity to make friends with people in their late 90s to early 100s.
“They call me ‘sonny’… and I like it,” he laughs.
The rest of Australia will be able to view the film when it screens on Compass on ABCTV 1 Sunday, March 4 at 6.30pm.
