Laughter is more effective than drugs for Dementia and Alzheimer’s studies show

Making people with dementia laugh and allowing them to watch funny videos and TV is as effective as psychiatric drugs in reducing agitation, studies have found. In weekly sessions at a care home, residents watched slapstick mimes, puppets, clowns with humorous props and listened to silly noises and funny music. Researchers in Australia found a significant improvement in mood, a reduction in apathy and aggressive behaviour with benefits continuing for weeks after the experiment ended. Introducing humour can provide a much-needed sense of normalcy in patients’ lives.