Fresh Ideas, Real Stories, and a Lot of Laughs

August 4, 2023

Laughing at the Misfortune of Others – Not New, Also Not Good

At Laughter on Call we make a big deal about not laughing at others. We always say we’re a laughing with company not a laughing at company. Recently someone challenged me on this, “What do you mean you don’t make fun of people? How do you make people laugh? Plus, with the egos of leaders, you have to make fun of them. They love it!”

July 28, 2023

Hunter, Farmer, Human!

I had an illuminating call this week with a company. After sharing hello’s, we got to the heart of the matter.

July 21, 2023

Acknowledge, Engage and...?

Who doesn’t love a good acronym? When they work it’s like having a gift in your pocket – with ideas inside you can actually use. One of my favorites is pronounced like the word "air."

July 14, 2023

Therapeutic Lying. Is This Really a Thing?

Spent a few weeks this month bringing laughter tools to a gorgeous senior community in New York City, Coterie Hudson Yards, after reading about it in a profile on the director Paul Shrader in The New Yorker. They don’t pay me to say nice things here, but the luxury and care their residents experience is first rate.

July 6, 2023

My "Story Spine" Summer

This week I taught “Story Spine” to my memoir class. In preparation I wrote this as a how-to example.

June 29, 2023

Smile. Don't Argue.

“As people lose the ability to communicate, they still read us very, very well,” said Allison Lindauer, an associate professor of neurology with the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine. NY Times 6/23/23

June 20, 2023

In True New Hampshire spirit - Diversity or Die!

You can definitely argue that the hat is overkill – and a little too enthusiastically announcing that it’s been nearly 40 years since I graduated college. But there is a method to my madness here.

June 15, 2023

Summer's Here and So is Our Reading List

It's summer so of course we need a reading list! Whether you're lying on a beach, spending time with a loved one struggling with cognitive decline, or just want some tools for bringing laughter to all your relationships, these books can help. They are each brimming with heartfelt stories of perseverance, the search for joy and practical ideas for finding it.

June 8, 2023

What is Affiliative Humor and Why Should I Care?

Great question! When I was launching Laughter On Call in the Alzheimer’s space I’d often be asked about where the idea came from of bringing laughter to such a dark situation. The simple truth is, for me creating human connection through shared laughter, even against the toughest odds, is a reflex.

May 26, 2023

In Honor of Mental Health Awareness Month - Trust the Experts!

‍This week in the NY Times featured a story about a moving company for seniors. Hiring a third party to come in so you don’t have to argue with Mom about giving up placemats from 1970. It definitely brought back memories of conversations I had with my mother about her stuff and where it would all go.

Alzheimer’s Silver…moments

The shaky hand, the labored breathing when she sleeps in her wheelchair, her shrinking body nourished mostly by vanilla ice cream: as we move into the eighth year that my mother’s brain is being ravaged by Alzheimer’s disease, none of it seems like a gift. And yet. Sometimes when she looks straight into my eyes now, no longer weighed down by judgment or disappointment or even yes, envy, the gaze is so piercing it cuts right through the haze of grief I walk around in.

Comedy Care Delivered

Laughter On Call started as a way to bring some much needed comic relief to my mother. However, in the year since the idea of hiring a comedian to work one-on-one with her to make her laugh, it has become a company that offers so much more.