Your Story Matters: Healing Through Laughter

Written by Katrina Schroeder, TPM

What makes a family choose one rehab department over another for their loved one? Our therapy team in Cincinnati, Ohio believe that their laughter is an important part of healing. People are more than a hip fracture or injury, and they are usually scared and afraid they wont get better or be able to return home reports clinical manager Katrina Schroeder. Our team has found that addressing the emotional component of healing is crucial to helping the physical aspect as well. Each week the team has regularly scheduled group times that always have a focus on fun. Laughing allows a release and a feeling of hope, even if it is laughing at us! The team has done groups such as nerf gun turkey shooting, deer hunting in which the staff dressed as deer and squirls and the residents threw balls at them, volleyball, 50s flashback, luau madness and more. Emily Scheidenberger, PTA, reports that the residents are standing and laughing and don’t even realize that they are no longer holding onto the walker and are keeping their balance.  Nursing reports also seeing a difference in the residents, who are often still laughing and talking about the group at lunch. It is truly a team effort as everyone works together to ensure the residents are up and dressed, have their medications, and are ready for group. The team continues to think of engaging and enjoyable challenges for their residents and embody the moto “healing through laughter”.

Moments like that renew our motivation to keep trying again and again. The appreciation—and our efforts—are remembered for a long time.