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Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of humor therapy in residential care: the Sydney Multisite Intervention of LaughterBosses and ElderClowns (SMILE)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2012

Belinda Goodenough ,
Lee-Fay Low ,
Anne-Nicole Casey ,
Lynn Chenoweth ,
Richard Fleming ,
Peter Spitzer ,
Jean-Paul Bell  and
Henry Brodaty
Belinda Goodenough
Affiliation:
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Lee-Fay Low*
Affiliation:
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Anne-Nicole Casey
Affiliation:
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Lynn Chenoweth
Affiliation:
Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Richard Fleming
Affiliation:
NSW/ACT Dementia Training Study Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Peter Spitzer
Affiliation:
The Humour Foundation, Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Jean-Paul Bell
Affiliation:
Arts Health Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Henry Brodaty
Affiliation:
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Academic Department for Old Age Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Lee-Fay Low, Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia. Phone: +61 2 93852599; Fax: + 61 2 93852200. Email: Lf.Low@unsw.edu.au.
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Abstract

Background: Humor therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention with potential to improve mood and quality of life for institutionalized older persons, including those with dementia. The primary aims of the Sydney Multisite Intervention of LaughterBosses and ElderClowns (SMILE) are to examine the effects of humor therapy on residents’ mood, quality of life, social engagement, and agitation.

Methods: SMILE is a single-blinded cluster-randomized controlled trial where 398 consented residents in 35 residential aged care facilities will be allocated to receive humor therapy or usual care. Residents allocated to the intervention group will engage in humor therapy with professional performers (ElderClowns) and trained facility staff (LaughterBosses) for a minimum of nine two-hour sessions over 12 weeks as well as engaging humorously with LaughterBosses during the course of daily care. The usual care control group will not engage in any formal humor therapy. Researchers, blind to treatment allocation, will assess residents at baseline (week 0), post-intervention (week 13), and follow-up (week 26). The measurement suite includes the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, the Dementia Quality of Life Scale, the Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects, the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Observations of residents’ engagement will be recorded at each humor therapy session.

Conclusions: SMILE is the first large rigorous study of humor therapy in aged care.

Keywords

aged carenursing homedementiabehavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)psychosocial interventions
Type
PROTOCOL-ONLY PAPER
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 24 , Issue 12 , December 2012 , pp. 2037 - 2044
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2012

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