Laughter A Stress Buster Remedy Among Elderly People Living In The Old Age Homes

Aim: To give easy remedy “Laughing” Skill to reduce the stress. Objectives: Old age is inevitable. But, it is possible to keep the mind agile and active to a great extent. The relation between age and stress is a close one. Aging may simply wear out the systems in the brain that respond to stress, so that they become inefficient. Methodology: A Quasi experimental study (non equivalent control group design) Study was conducted in old age homes of Jalandhar District on 60 samples. Purposive sampling technique was employed and two groups were formed, one control and other experiment. Then pre test was conducted through Semi-structured Interview Schedule, Laughing sessions were given to the Experimental group for two weeks (20-25 minutes). After two weeks post test was conducted on both groups. Result: Experimental group mean of level of stress score was (10.86) in pre test and (4.8) in post test, significant at p<0.05 level. On the other hand, in control group mean of level of stress score was (11.533) in pre test and (12.133) in post test and non significant at p<0.05 level. In the pre test of experimental group 1(3.3%), 0 and 29(96.66%) subjects fall in mild, moderate and severe level of stress respectively. In post test number of person increased in moderate 16(53.33%), mild 9(30%), level of stress. Only 5(16.66%) remained in the severe level of stress. Conclusion: It was concluded that the result of the study shows that laughter has a distinguishable effect on level of stress.