Clown Therapy Pilot Study Announcement

Question: Will Clown Therapy Impact the Quality of Life of an Elderly Person Residing in a Long-Term Health Care Facility?

Harborside Health Care of Westlake Ohio is the first skilled nursing home in Ohio to engage in a pilot study that will test the following:

1. Will one-on-one interaction with a clown character be well received by residents that have self-isolated themselves?

2. Will this type of laughter therapy make a measurable impact on the overall quality of life of these residents?

3. After a clown visit, will the resident (s) show a higher level of desire for additional social interaction?

It is, of course, the hope of all involved, that in the end, residents will respond in ways that indicate a willingness to end the self-inflicted state of isolation and begin to reach out to other residents and staff within the facility.

Will the quality of life of these residents be improved through laughter therapy provided by a clown? No one knows for certain, but this study should at least provide the basis for determining whether or not further study would make sense.

Studies have been done that prove clowning therapy to be of great value to children within hospital settings. The most exciting element of this type of therapy is the fact that ‘no adverse’ outcomes have ever been reported.

One study, ‘Humour for Health study at Northern Hospital’ studied therapeutic clowning for children in emergency rooms. The study concluded that as a result of the clowning, the children were less stressful, less fearful, easier to treat, and had faster recovery times then those children that did not have the clown visit. See Humor Foundation for more details and access to other studies.

Laughter therapy, as a whole, has been documented to some degree within the aging population. One study of 2,500 senior citizens that were followed for six years, those who scored high on a happiness quiz had much fewer strokes than those at the bottom of the scale. See Do the Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter Have Scientific Support? By Paul J. Rosch, M.D. President, The American Institute of Stress.

Nadine Kodysz and Pat Pierce, the primary activity directors at Harborside, have chosen about 15 residents for the clown therapy pilot study. Each resident shares a set of common denominators, which are:

1. Each resident is alone, no family or friends visit him or her

2. Each of these residents have elected to receive meals in their rooms, avoiding mealtime socialization

3. Each of these residents continuously refuse invitations to participate in group activities

4. Each of these residents display anger, frustration, and depression

The study will include observations made by key staff members working directly with this selected group of residents. This includes; the activity staff, the social worker assigned to each resident, and the nursing staff on the resident’s floor.

Initially the pilot study will include one specific clown character. Her name is Jamdealie D. Light and she is a graduate of The Ohio College of Clowning Arts. Jamdealie’s alter ego is Barbara Mascio, a dedicated advocate for the elderly population. See Jamdealie D Light

Facilities catering to the elder population within the state of Ohio are welcome to apply to participate in this study. For details, please contact Barbara Mascio at Senior Approved Services by phoning 440-471-4179.

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