The Greatest Veneration: Humor as a Coping Strategy for the Challenges of Aging

Abstract

One hundred and thirty million Traditionalists and Baby Boomers are tackling the reality of aging. It may be captured by the lyrics to the Alan Menken–Tim Rice song “A Whole New World.” The salient characteristics and experiences of these two generations are examined along with a few of the mental and physical challenges they are encountering. Then the research on and applications of humor and laughter to these challenges are reviewed. Particular attention is given to the psychological, physiological, and medical studies that have specific implications for seniors. Coping strategies to deal with daily life challenges are described in terms of detachment from crises and problem situations and coping with interpersonal conflict. The Coping Humor Scale is provided for readers to assess their own coping skills. Then a list of techniques seniors can use to improve their own coping skills, including how to search for humor opportunities, is provided. Despite the potential research-based benefits of humor and laughter, their application to the lives of seniors are not well known. Those benefits should be part of the trend toward complementary or alternative medical treatments over the past two decades. It does not get any more “alternative” than “humor.”