Have you ever found yourself in the same posture as someone you’re talking to, yawning when someone near you yawns, or flinching when you witness someone getting hurt? Maybe you’ve smiled at a baby at the grocery store and delighted in the adorable way she smiled back at you, or felt warm and fuzzy when you saw someone snuggling their dog. While there is so much more to learn about the human brain, the explanation behind why we seem to be so connected, why we empathize with each other on both a physical and emotional level, may be linked to mirror neurons, which are brain cells that simulate in our own brains feelings or actions that we observe in others.

Once upon a time in my undergraduate Intro to Psychology class, my professors showed a video similar to this one:

I distinctly remember the auditorium of 500+ students smiling and giggling as well. We just couldn’t help it.

So, how do we harness the power of mirror neurons and the human connection to care for our loved ones living with dementia?

We bring out our calm and peaceable selves. We set our worries and baggage aside to the best of our abilities (let’s be real, some days it’s all we can do to put one foot in front of the other and that’s ok. Respite care can give you the break you need to take care of you), so that we can be present with our companions, make plenty of good eye contact, and maybe even share some giggles. We can be expressive with our smiles and careful with our “resting faces”. On a physical level, we can model simple gestures to encourage our companions to participate – eating together, washing hands, petting an animal.

And while you are setting aside your own worries to guide your loved one toward a more calm and happy mood, you may find a positive shift in your mood as well.

With gratitude and giggles,

Lisa Wood