Humor in a Nursing Home

Anyone who knows me, knows how important humor is in my life.  I am all about making someone smile, telling a funny story, hearing and inducing laughter.  Serving in Social Services at "my other house" (AKA the nursing home) I saw the difference laughing and smiling made to each and every resident and tried to share that wonderful phenomenom daily.  Many dreary days could be changed with a conversation that sparked a funny memory for residents.

One great memory involved our activities director having a "Slumber Party" with the residents. Popcorn, movies, games. Everything that made a slumber party fun....including....prank phone calls.  I was the lucky recipient of a few of the phones calls.  All the voices were VERY familiar so I played right along...

Me: Hello?
Caller: Is your refrigerator running?
Me: Well, yes...
Caller: You better go catch it! (followed by muffled giggles and the sound of the phone hanging up)

Me: Hello?
Caller: (In an extremely convincing English accent) Do you have Prince Albert in a can?
Me: Who is this?
Caller: Do you have Prince Albert in a can?
Me: Listen, you don't even sound like you are from the US.  Who are you? Wait, I know who this is AND I know where you sleep!
Giggles....click.

I arrived at my office the next day to find the door and the immediate area covered in toilet paper and a picture of several residents with bags over their heads, to conceal their identity of course, and a hand written statement of "We got you!  The Claw"

Let me just say, whispers and giggles were had for days after this event. What an amazing Activities Director!  What wonderful residents!  This one activity bonded staff and residents so much and provided some great memories in a situation that many would not even think was possible.

I sure miss those days and the fun we had but I have a treasure trove of memories to take with me!