Care home staff try out laughter yoga with Lady HaHa

Staff at a care home in Surbiton have been reducing their stress and cortisol levels by trying out laughter yoga.

Laughter yoga also known as ‘laughter meditation’ involves a series of laughter exercises guided by a laughter leader.

As well as laughter yoga, staff at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton took part in Tai Chi, reiki, Indian head massage and mindfulness as part of a wellbeing week.

Anna Bielecki, a nurse at the care home said: “I think it is always a good idea to try new things. I thought laughter yoga was something quite unusual and I’d not heard of it before, but it sounded interesting.

“I thought it was really good. Lady HaHa was really funny and her laugh was infectious. We were given tips to try to manage and combat difficult situations with laughing. It was quite good and I have actually used the technique she has shared away from work. I would recommend it to other people.”

Lady HaHa calls laughter “incredibly therapeutic and just so good for us right now to help with stress, anxiety and helping to lift our moods during the coronavirus and time of isolation. It also helps us to feel more connected to those we laugh with as well as strengthening our immune systems.”

The wellbeing week concluded with staff enjoying a Caribbean-themed party and barbecue with residents.

A spokesman for Royal Garter & Star said: “Staff also had free haircuts, received eye care advice from Specsavers, and heard talks addressing pandemic fatigue and mental health. Several of the events took place in the evening to ensure night staff were not left out.”

Helena Maher who manages the care home, said: “This is just a small token of thanks for all their courage, commitment and hard work, especially during the pandemic, when we’ve faced some really tough and demanding times. It’s a small gesture when you consider all they do. They are amazing and deserve it.”

The cost of the barbecue was covered by a staff fund which included generous donations from residents’ relatives over the past year. The son of a resident who died earlier this year also donated money for a steel band to play in memory of his mother.

The Surbiton Home is welcoming new residents. For more information on this, and working for Royal Star & Garter, go to https://starandgarter.org/surbiton/

click here for more details or to contact Royal Star & Garter - Surbiton