There’s nothing quite like a really good belly laugh that makes your eyes water, to lift the spirits! But laughter has a whole lot more going on, as it’s good for our bodies as well as our minds.  For example, did you know that it releases super-helpful endorphins into our brains, and also helps to boost our immune systems? And that’s not all …

A Giggle a Day keeps the Doctor away …

Studies have found that people with a strong sense of humour are less prone to becoming anxious or depressed, and letting rip at something hilarious is actually similar to a mini-workout,  improving circulation and reducing blood pressure – all the more reason to tickle that funny bone!

Particularly important for older people, the release of ‘happy hormones’ when you laugh can also help to reduce the severity of pain and discomfort. In the book “Anatomy of an Illness 🔗,” Norman Cousins, then, terminally ill wrote about how he used laughter to help with his deteriorating condition. Since his book, published in 1975, many movements and practices have emerged, including ‘humour therapy’ (think ‘Patch Adams’) and laughter yoga, both of which use the act of laughing to promote wellbeing. 

A Remedy best enjoyed with Others

However, before you look out a favourite funny movie (you’ll find a few gems in our Films for Carers’ blog 🔗), there is another important ingredient: laughter is best enjoyed in company, as it is largely a ‘social construct’ – something that we do most when we are with others. If you think of the last time you were clutching your belly with laughter, you will probably remember you were not alone. Psychologically, it’s a unique behaviour that only humans and chimps express, which is thought to help us bond with others. In fact, there are many studies 🔗 which support the theory that in most older people, psychological factors, such as depression and anxiety are more about a lack of social engagement, than impairment of physical function – something that the medical model of disability tends to overlook …

Laugh often; Live Well …

This is just one of the many reasons why good company is so important in later life, and it’s also why, as a carer, it’s so important to encourage those you support to meet with friends, and have the odd giggle. Not only does it help to tackle low mood, but also provides an incentive to do it all over again. That is the magic of endorphins – they give us a hormonal ‘high’ that you just want more of:) 

And, as a carer, that ‘feel good factor’ is exactly what we want for our clients!

Everything we do is motivated by something. Even things we don’t want to do are motivated by the consequences of not doing them. But motivation has many facets and can work in a variety of ways; understanding some of these can help you in your role as a care worker.

Intrinsic Motivation

When we do something because we like it in itself – such as eating chocolate because it tastes good – we need very little encouragement! The same applies to hobbies that we enjoy, and all the vices we wish we didn’t have 🙂

Extrinsic Motivation

More often in life, however, we do things to get other things. With children, we entice them to tidy their toys in exchange for a treat; as adults, we generally work to get paid. This does something very important to the activity; it makes what we are doing a ‘means to an end’. And with that, it can often lose its value.  

The perfect example of this type of motivation, is an experiment which was conducted with a classful of children. All were given ice cream with the promise that if they ate it all, they would get some broccoli as a reward. What happened? Many of the children complained about having to eat the ice cream, with some even refusing to eat it, and asking to skip to the broccoli!  

Vexingly, even as adults, we still operate with the same basic ‘carrot and stick’ principle; however, we can make carrots out of our sticks!

Using Motivation as a Care Worker

Clients need, to varying degrees, to play an active part in their own wellbeing. This could be through encouragement to move around more, or to drink more fluids, for example. Often, we might resort to using rewards (extrinsic) – “Drink this and I’ll fetch you an extra biscuit with your cuppa” – or fear (also extrinsic – the desire to ‘avoid’) – “You’ll get dehydrated, Betty, and we don’t want that!”.  

However, a better way to change behaviour is to use good feelings that already exist around an activity. An example of this might be taking a walk through a favourite park, or perhaps encouraging more green-fingers clients to tend to plants in the home 🔗. It might take a little more time to work out what activities have intrinsic value for your client, but the results are far more likely to be long-lasting and self-driven.

We can give almost any Behaviour Intrinsic Value

It is slightly trickier when a behaviour just has no redeeming features for a client, but a combination of both types of motivation can help get them to the point where they engage in the activity for its own sake. Look for activities closely related to the desired behaviour which your client does have positive feelings for. These ‘milestones’ help to bring the person closer to the end goal.

For example:

Perhaps you care for someone who loves getting dressed up but not walking. Make a fuss: decide on which clothes to wear; what hat goes with what; which shoes look best. The walking activity will then become associated with feeling and looking good, and should eventually become part of that overall ‘good feeling’.  

Giving praise and encouragement are of course, always helpful. However, the goal is to get the individual to the point of doing the activity because they want to – not because they are praised. Remember: we are more likely to continue doing something unprompted when it makes us feel good. 

Thankfully, there are many intrinsic motivators that can apply to any behaviours, amongst them: a sense of achievement or fulfilment, a feeling of being in control, creative, important or independent; self-esteem, and of course; feelings of happiness or contentment!

Understand your client’s personal drivers

It’s too easy to see things from our perspective; how we would feel in that situation. But we are all different, with very disparate drivers. Let’s look at encouraging someone to be more mobile: 

A person who is fiercely independent will enjoy doing something that will enable them to feel self-sufficient. If you want them to be more active, try incorporating independence into your argument. “Just think, once you’re up and about again, you’ll be able to do that yourself”. 

Someone who prides themselves on their looks will be motivated by the feeling of doing something that will improve their self-image. “What a change I’ve seen in you since you’ve been in the garden more. You have a real rosy glow to your face!” 

Any social butterflies may be persuaded to go out for a coffee with “Why don’t we ask (Jenny) if she’ll be there? I know she’s hoping for a natter with you”,  rather than, perhaps “Let’s go for a coffee – the walk there will do you good”. 

…you get the picture!

As care workers, most of us likely do this naturally without thinking; but knowing what’s behind both types of motivation can help you to hone your powers of persuasion to better effect. So, find out what your clients’ key drivers are, mould their wellbeing activities around them …and, who knows, you might just see a few ‘sticks’ turn magically into ‘carrots’!

When we talk of someone with a disability, what image comes to mind? Is it someone in a wheelchair? Disability comes in many guises, seen and unseen – and becoming more informed can help us to discern between what we think we know and what we should know about disability. 

As care professionals, we practice access and inclusion in our everyday lives. But is there more we can do to promote disability awareness? 

The answer is ‘yes’. But first, a very brief social theory lesson:

The Social Model of Disability suggests that a person is not disabled by their disability – but by society – in that it fails to meet their needs. This means that there are solutions out there – we can all do something to help improve how our society supports people with disabilities. 

But don’t get your picket board out of the cupboard just yet; think smaller, everyday things that we can all do easily. Here are some of them … 

Watch your language!

Of course, we all know the obvious things not to say – often bandied about in school playgrounds. But here are a few terms that you may not know about … 

• Disabled toilet – the toilet is not disabled! Use ‘accessible toilet’ 
• Disabled people – people are people first and foremost. Use ‘people with disabilities.
• Wheelchair-bound – this is disempowering and suggests the person is ‘caged in’ when the wheelchair actually provides the freedom to get around. Use ‘wheelchair user’.  
• Deaf – Deaf with a capital ‘D’ is often used by someone who identifies with the deaf community and may well use sign language, whilst ‘deaf’ may represent deafness and those with a hearing loss or who are hard-of-hearing. We tend to use ‘hearing impaired’, although this has problems too (see ‘impaired’) 
• Blind – ‘Visually impaired’ is the term we tend to use, but not really preferred by the Blind community for the same reason as above. 
• ‘Suffers from/afflicted with’ – again, disempowering. Simply say ‘has’ or ‘experiences’. 
• ‘Impaired’ – this is a term used in the ‘medical model’ of disability. Although it’s widely used (visually impaired, hearing impaired) it’s best to find out what the person prefers to use. 
• ‘Crazy/insane/mad/lunatic’ – Offensive. We never know what mental health issues someone we’re talking to may have; stay away from these words. 

Things to be aware of … 

Hidden Disabilities 

It’s common to hear tuts at accessible parking bays (again, not a disabled parking bay) and accessible toilets when someone who doesn’t ‘seem’ disabled uses them. But disability comes in many shapes and sizes, and are also the business of the person with the disability – no one else’s! Don’t judge without the correct information.  

Making Assumptions 

Stroke, epilepsy, diabetes and other conditions can sometimes make a person appear to be drunk without having had a drop of alcohol. Bear this in mind if you see someone struggling.

Someone with an amputation may have had a long time to work around everyday challenges. Ask or wait to be asked for help – don’t rush in with what you think they need – this can be disempowering and offensive, well-meaning as it may be. 

Someone who is deaf may have lost their hearing at an early age, recently – or simply never had it. Some may sign, some may lip-read and others may use a BAHA (bone-anchored hearing aid), have a combination of all – or none. Ask about their preferences – don’t launch into BSL or start speaking in slow motion!

Dos and Don’ts 

DON’T … 

…Over-e.n.u.n.c.i.a.t.e if someone is a lip-reader. Just speak normally and clearly. Also, be aware that beards can make things very difficult for a lip-reader – as can face masks!

…Finish the sentences of a person with a speech impairment. Wait patiently, and make them feel at ease whilst you do so. 
 

…Propel a person in a wheelchair (for example, across a street, over a curb) unless they ask you, or you have asked them if they need help.  
 

…Talk down to a wheelchair user; speak to them at eye level, if you can; crouch beside them, kneel or pull up a chair 
 

…’Manhandle’ someone with a disability who has asked to be guided. Hold them (if safe to do so) by the arm and elbow; this allows them to sense your own body movement and to be more confident in their steps.

DO … 

…Ask! Many people with disabilities want to make it easier on others who fear ‘getting things wrong’, and will tell you their preferences.  
 

…Educate others! This is the one thing we can easily do to help make long-lasting shifts in how we see disability. 
 

…Consult first with any friends with a disability if you’re organising a day/night out to ensure you meet their access/dietary needs, and to avoid embarrassment for the person if things need to be changed on their account later.  
 

…Always talk to a person in a wheelchair first if they have an assistant. NEVER talk over them. Sadly, this still happens a lot!

These are just little changes that we can make – but even small things can make a big difference for people with disabilities – and sharing your knowledge of disability awareness with others is a great start. 

Let’s make it happen!