Surely, you know what it’s like to experience “one of those days” – you’ve overslept and missed a major meeting, the coffee maker chose today to cease performing, you tripped over the cat, dropping your phone and smashing the display screen, and as if that’s not bad enough, you feel a cold coming on; and it’s not even 9 a.m. yet.
For those who are caregiving for a senior loved one, each and every day can feel packed with this same intensity of stress. At Grace Home Care, leaders in companion care in Topeka, KS, we understand! Anxieties around making certain your loved one is comfortable, safe, and healthy combine with the stress of how to accomplish all of the day’s to-dos, and the last thing on a caregiver’s mind is probably a hearty belly laugh. However,, that may in fact be just what the doctor ordered to lower stress and permit you to once again discover the joy and rewards of providing care for your loved one.
As a matter of fact, the many advantages of laughter to both our psychological and physical health are tremendous and well documented, including:
- Boosting our immunity
- Decreasing our degree of stress hormones
- Reducing pain
- Enhancing the heart’s functionality and reducing heart attack risk
- Releasing endorphins that promote stress reduction for nearly an hour
- And even raising our chance of living longer!
Of course, we’re not recommending taking serious situations lightly, or laughing at your senior loved one. The key is in looking for humor in the day-to-day moments you encounter, and then sharing laughter together. Below are a few ideas to get you started:
- Plan a night of comedy. Find a classic funny movie your family has enjoyed in the past, or a taping of a stand-up comedian, grab some snacks, relax and enjoy the show.
- Search online for jokes, funny stories, and one-liners, and put together a list of those that are especially funny. Set aside certain points during the course of the day as “joke time,” drop whatever chore or task you’re doing at those specified times, and take a quick joke break.
- Spend time with children. Young children are innately cheerful, and merely being around them as they play will without a doubt lead to limitless opportunities for laughing.
- Make time to reminisce over treasured funny stories from the past. Pulling out photographs or old home movies is a great way to trigger favorite recollections.
- Break out of the everyday routine. It’s easy to become stuck in a routine of busyness with tasks and then crashing in front of the television. Plan an outing to try something different with your senior loved one and simply enjoy quality time together.
Grace Home Care is always readily available to help reduce caregiving stress in a variety of ways. Allow us to provide support with housework, laundry, preparing meals, running errands and more, and rediscover the pleasure of having fun with your senior loved one! Offering the highest quality companion care in Topeka, KS, we’re here with as much or as little assistance as needed to improve quality of life for both your senior loved one and yourself. Contact us at 785-286-2273 to learn more!