GERIATRICS
GERIATRICS
The La Belle Visite therapeutic clown program brings humour into the healthcare setting. But it’s not just about making people laugh. Designed for seniors living in long-term care facilities, this program stimulates their imagination and lifts their spirits by inviting them to reminisce, share their memories and socialize.
The therapeutic clowns play members of the Labelle family. They invite seniors to stroll down memory lane and chat with them about the songs, dances, films, fashion, social mores and customs of their youth. Mostly, the artists are there to listen. They seek the advice of the seniors, who have a lifetime of rich experience in a variety of spheres of life, such as family, education, homemaking, personal finance and marriage, among others. This approach empowers elders by making them feel competent and useful, and places value on their experience in such a way as to help them see the world they belong to today from a broader perspective.
(photo: Nathalie Choquette)
The benefits of therapeutic clowns are real. We receive many moving testimonials from caregivers that illustrate the impact of the La Belle Visite program:
“My dearest wish was to see the program continue year after year, and it was granted! The program’s success is in large part due to the high quality of your interventions and their integration into the philosophy of the healthcare teams. But most of all, it the joyful and lively support you provide that spreads far beyond the person you come and visit.”
- Fernand Bureau, former recreation manager, Ste. Anne’s Hospital
“Some of the people living in long-term care facilities have dementia and are agitated, which is often a sign that they need to move, to do something, to release their energy. By activating them and getting their mind off things, the clown creates positive feelings in them, which can really improve their mood, behaviour and even their appetites. The visits often help them sleep better.”
- Dr. David Lussier, Geriatrician, Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal
(photo: Nathalie Choquette)