BENEFITS to Patients, Families and Healthcare Professionals
In hospitals and healthcare facilities, MeDi Clowning creates a relaxed atmosphere that allows medical staff to perform their work while the MeDi Clown relieves the stress of the patient.
MeDi Clowning is an integrated and integral alternative therapy as it supports the patient to heal faster, reduces fear, treats them like a person and not a disease.
Always centred on supporting the patient, the role of MeDi Clowns are multiple and multifaceted. While they bring smiles, laughter and entertainment, they are much more. Not only do they distract (consciously redirect) and ease emotional and physical pain, they also empower and relieve stress among patients, families and the entire medical team involved.
MeDi Clowns give power and control to the patient. It is the patient who decides if he/she wants to interact with the MeDi Clowns or not. Being able to say “no” in an otherwise powerless situation is therapeutic in itself.
When the patient gives permission to enter his/her room, the MeDi Clowns start by observing who is in the room, for what reason, and what is happening. Being attentive to emotional tone of the room, they evaluate the needs of patients, family and medical staff at the present moment and act accordingly.
- In traumatic situations, such as a suicide attempt, sexual assault or death, the MeDi Clown can work with the patient, family and staff to ease the pain and to de-stress
- By using inventive play, MeDi Clowns support staff in stimulating patients to comply with rehabilitation programs
- With geriatrics, MeDi Clowns can help to recreate and act out / perform the patient’s life through story and role-play, offering fun, dignity and a change in perception of their life
- During medical procedures, the MeDi Clown may be called upon for a conscious redirection (distraction strategy) to ease the patient’s physical and emotional pain
Patients: the following benefits are experienced:
- Reduction of pain and stress perception
- Strengthening of the immune system
- Lightens up the fear of the unknown
- Channels nervous energy or built up tension into healthy expression
- Relief of fear anxiety and apprehension
- Humanizes challenging medical environments and interventions
- Allowing patients to express their unpleasant feelings in healthy way
- Interrupts blocked patterns that may be interfering with the healing journey
Medical teams
- Improves the communication between the patient and staff
- Assists in creating a more relaxed atmosphere between medical staff, patients and their families
- Supports patients and staff in receiving and giving bad news
- Empowers patients to handle a potentially helpless situation with grace and dignity
- Greater patient compliance in taking medications
- Assists medical staff to perform examinations and procedures
- Support health practitioners within a multitude of therapies
- Humanizes medical staff so the patients are not afraid of their doctors.
Children
- Helps children to cope better with their medical condition
- Lowers anxiety during medical procedures
- Empowers children to handle a potentially threatening diagnosis with acceptance
- Provides children with a sense of control in a helpless situation
- Changes role perception between medical staff and patient
- Allows children to be children and to play despite their condition
- Encourages greater willingness to take their medication
- Reduces stress and fear during medical forensic examinations in sexual abuse cases
Geriatric Patients
- Reconnecting and grounding dementia patients with their current surroundings
- Improve communication with staff
- Brings back a sense of humour into difficult life and health conditions
- MeDi Clowning is a powerful and complementary addition for chronic and degenerative conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer
- Nursing staff report that MeDi Clowning contributes to the reduction of patients’ aggressive behavior in nursing homes and enhances a more positive and happier attitude towards life.
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As soon as Hamish and Fif entered the cancer ward, it changed immediately the whole atmosphere. The mood became much lighter. Mothers seemed to have less tension. Hamish and Fif clowned with the staff and even helped the doctor to do his examination. The best was to see the children who have suffered so much - so much pain - to see them laughing and playing with the clowns. Clown Therapy and Laughter Therapy improve the patient’s outlook and helps in speedy recovery. It reduces their stay in the hospital. We need to have MeDi Clowns on every ward, everyday. It is an excellent therapy for the children, their mothers and even the staff.
Paediatrician and Founder Ekam Foundation
*Did you know that patients with a sense of humor enjoy a 20 percent lower mortality rate in comparison to those who have difficulty laughing at daily events.
Now that you know some of the benefits of MeDi Clowning, check out specific areas in Organizations, Education, and Services
