Weekly joke-telling group helps seniors combat isolation through laughter

LANSING, Mich. (InvestigateTV) — Four senior citizens walk into a community center. It sounds like the start of a joke, but at the Hannah Community Center, it’s the seniors who are telling them.

For one hour every Tuesday morning, seniors share jokes in a program called “What’s So Funny!”

“I told the nurse I was bitten by a wolf. Where? she asks. No, regular,” one participant said, followed by laughter.

Laughter strengthens health

Research from UCLA shows a hearty chuckle strengthens the immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain and protects from the damaging effects of stress.

For older adults, laughter has a positive effect on mental health by increasing socialization.

The weekly session came from Judy Wattenberg, who sits at the head of the table.

“I said, how you been doing? He says well I got up with arthritis. I said that’s interesting I went to bed with Ben Gay,” Wattenberg said, followed by laughter.

“I feel that laughter is so important when you get older,” she said.

Creating connection for ‘elderly orphans’

Wattenberg started the program eight years ago for seniors she refers to as “elderly orphans.”

“An older person that may not have anyone to help them, or talk to, family, and laughter helps, cause you’re connected with somebody,” she said.

From groans to guffaws, Wattenberg says politics is generally off limits, but poking fun at themselves is not.

“I appreciate as I get older, I can multitask better. Now I can sneeze and pee at the same time,” one participant said, followed by laughter.

“Old people need jokes, and people don’t realize that,” Wattenberg said.

A Brooklyn upbringing

The 81-year-old ringleader of the group says she grew up in a joke-filled Brooklyn, New York, family.

“My father and my grandfather loved the Reader’s Digest jokes,” she said.

But she never started telling jokes herself until after her husband died 30 years ago.

“It’s because he never let me get a word in edgewise,” she said, followed by laughter.

Now she’s happy to share the spotlight with other seniors who just want to smile loudly.

“A pirate walks into a bar with a paper towel on his head. Bartender says what’s with the paper towel. Pirate replies, Arrrg, I got a Bounty on me head,” Abbey Barr said, followed by laughter.

Barr credits Wattenberg with keeping the group going.

“She keeps us grounded I guess,” Barr said, laughing.

“When you make a joke and people start to smile, it’s the best thing in the world,” Wattenberg said.

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