Laughing Together - Five Activities to Get Residents Smiling

We get lots of laughter when playing Balloon Badminton! Fly swats are our 'rackets' with participants choosing the colour they want. Chairs are arranged in a circle with seniors staying seated while hitting the balloon, with the aim of keeping it off the ground for as long as possible. Time or the number of hits can be used if a measurement is wanted. Today we had a 'Give me 5' quiz each time the balloon touched the ground. This gave people a chance to catch their breath as participants do get warm with this game.

I do a who am I during breakfast in the dining room using the on this day from golden carers. I also read out the jokes at the bottom of the page each day.

I like to tell jokes. I remember funny things that happen when I was younger. I make funny faces. I enjoy watching I love Lucy and america funniest video.

Thank you Golden Carers to sharing us a variety of activities to cheer and put a smile on residents' faces, indeed they need to laugh in this period of time after covid-19 visited all the planet since one year, RN , EN or RAO or AIN all the staffs were putting all there effort to bring the joy for residents who were isolated and could not be outdoors or letting any family visiting, what we were doing is to bring the joy and the fun and putting a smile on our dearest residents' faces because laughing or smiling is the best medicine and therapy and take you to another place more calm and quiet.

Sending my best.

Nowadays restrictions are limited and residents can be visited and going bus trip and beong with families again but of course following legal rules and law and kkeping social distance 1.5 and not forgetting to wash throughly hands, no hugs and kisses, stay safe everyone.

What a good idea Gina

I started the Laughing Basket. Everyone gets an item out and wears it, or it may be a toy, or just a funny item. I have extra large crazy glasses, jacks, clown noses, rubber chicken finger sling shots, emoji stress ball, bubbles, etc. They seem to really enjoy the items.

We sang the Laughing Policeman at our dementia cafe last week, everyone loved it and some were crying with laughter at the end of the song. We will definitely be singing it again.

I love this site, as an enthusiastic volunteer running a dementia cafe I need all the help I can get. Thank you from London.

What a fantastic idea!! Ive been working in Aged Care for 18 mths now and just got promoted to become a shared Care Co-ordinator for one of our floors with 40 residents both high and low care. I absolutely love my job and want to make the residents feel happy and always engaging in different activities. So this website is wonderful for me to get great ideas from. I cant wait to start. :)

These ideas are wonderful! I'll be using a few of them at our "Laughter is the Best Medicine" program next month!

I recently did a bulletin board with riddles: I typed them in a large-size font and printed them out, and stapled them to the board only at their tops. Then, underneath each riddle, I wrote the answer. Passers-by just had to lift up each question to see the answer. Some of the riddles I included were: "What do you call a sleepwalking nun?" (a roamin' Catholic); "Why did the chicken coop only have two doors?" (because if it had four doors, it would be a chicken sedan); "Why did the farmer receive an award?" (because she was outstanding in her field)...you get the idea. :)

We are still loving Golden Cares over here in Shawnigan Lake BC

there will be a fabulous laughing circle going on this morning:) thanks for all the tips!

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