A new study performed in Australia recently presented their findings at the National Dementia Research Forum in Sydney, Australia. The study was conducted to explore whether and how much, humor might be as effective as psychiatric drugs in reducing the agitation that is so common in people with dementia.
The study was performed on nursing home residents with dementia who participated in a weekly two-hour clowning session involving music, mime and humorous props and showed a significant reduction in both physically and verbally aggressive behavior.
One of the study co-authors Jean-Paul Bell, said "normally, nursing homes are a little like being stuck on a bad cruise where you can't get off. You are getting the creature comforts bu no stimulating conversation or playful contact."
The result" "The humor intervention worked well for pretty much everyone," Bell noted, particularly for the "highest-care" patients deemed most debilitated by dementia. As a bonus, the impact was achieved without running any of the risk for serious side effects including falls and premature death that have been associated with prescription anti psychotic drugs.
To read more about this study: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_117063.html
This news item of Medline Plus from the U.S National Library of Medicine, NIH National Institutes of Health as reported on 9/30/11 will be available until 12/29/11.
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