Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40359207›Full record

ArticleAustralasian journal on ageing2025

'Our role is to listen more than entertain': A qualitative study of techniques used by Laughter Care Specialists with people who have dementia in long-term care.

Michelle DiGiacomo, Sara-Jane Roberts, Tim Luckett, David Symons, Georgia Ellis, Slavica Kochovska, Tony Warner, David C Currow, Deborah Parker, Karey Payne and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Australasian journal on ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Michelle DiGiacomoFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-8224
Sara-Jane RobertsFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Tim LuckettFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
David SymonsThe Humour Foundation, Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia.
Georgia EllisFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Slavica KochovskaFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Tony WarnerThe Humour Foundation, Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia.
David C CurrowFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Deborah ParkerFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Karey PayneThe Humour Foundation, Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia.
Meera R AgarFaculty of Health, Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aimed to describe the techniques that Laughter Care Specialists (LCSs) use to promote engagement of people living with dementia in long-term care.

methodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with LCSs (n = 8) and analysed inductively using thematic analysis.

resultsThe overarching theme was that techniques used to promote engagement reflected ways of valuing personhood. Sub-themes reflect the distillation of techniques according to ways LCSs approach and connect with people and ways that they then engage. When willingness to interact is indicated, LCSs assess environments to individualise their approach. Ways of engaging include creating opportunities to contribute, identity appreciation, reminiscence, enacting generational norms, presence and play. Engagement techniques were described as supporting identity and personhood through techniques that are individualised, supportive, empathetic and gentle.

conclusionsTechniques reflect person-centred, strengths-based approaches that attempt to meet psychosocial needs of persons living with dementia and highlight ways of valuing people living in long-term care.

Indexed as

DementiaLaughter TherapyLong-Term CareAgedAttitude of Health PersonnelFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedPersonhoodQualitative Researchdementialong‐term careMesH termspsychosocial intervention

Identifiers

PMID40359207
PMCPMC12074536

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.