Make An Impact
Promoting Joy Through Caregiving
More than 53 million Americans are caregivers. They cook the meals, manage the medications, hold the memories, and show up day after day for the people they love. For the millions caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, that work can feel relentless, invisible, and isolating.
Finding Your Laughter asks a different question: what if laughter isn’t a distraction from caregiving but a lifeline through it?
This campaign is built on a simple north star: Promoting Joy Through Caregiving. We believe this film can change how families, clinicians, and communities understand the relationship between humor and healing.
Our Goals
Normalize Laughter as a legitimate, evidence-informed coping strategy for dementia caregiving.
Expand representation of Black, Brown & LGBTQIA+ caregiving families in the public conversation around aging and dementia.
Equip caregivers with tools, language, and community to reduce isolation and burnout.
Build bridges between the comedy community, healthcare professionals, and caregiver advocacy organizations.
What the Research Says About Humor & Healing
Humor therapy improved the well-being of 80% of participants living with dementia in a study published in Aging & Mental Health, reducing tension, creating a relaxed atmosphere, and strengthening the connection between caregivers and the people they care for.
Caregiver use of humor accounted for 18.2% of the variance in overall caregiver well-being — a statistically significant finding — even after controlling for illness severity, education, and income.
Laughter and shared humor can improve communication and emotional connection between caregivers and people living with dementia, even in advanced stages of the disease — serving as a bridge when words begin to fail.
In a pilot study of 15 dementia caregivers who completed a six-week improvisation training program, participants showed significant reductions in both depressive symptoms and perceived caregiver burden.
Improv theatre skill development holds measurable promise for improving the dementia care capacity of care partners — including greater patience, presence, and ability to meet the person with dementia where they are.
Caregivers trained in improvisational techniques demonstrated four consistent strengths: deeper knowledge of the person they cared for, greater ability to meet people where they are, higher capacity for meaningful engagement, and stronger resilience against burnout.
Humor use in caregiver support groups functions as an effective coping mechanism — bringing people relationally closer together, even when the topic is as difficult as dementia.
Toolkit
Understanding Dementa and Alzheimers
Dementia and Alzheimer’s change the way a person experiences the world, but they do not erase who they are. Learning about these conditions empowers families and caregivers to communicate with compassion, build meaningful connections, and create moments of joy throughout the caregiving journey.
Caregiving Facts and Statistics
Behind every caregiving statistic is a person, a family, and a unique journey. These facts and figures highlight the realities of caregiving today while emphasizing the need for greater awareness, education, and compassionate support for those caring for loved ones.
Organizations and Resources
Finding the right support can make all the difference. Explore trusted organizations and caregiver resources that offer education, encouragement, practical tools, and community connections to help you care for your loved one while also caring for yourself.