The power of Lucille Ball: Timeless

I have worked in the mental health field for many years, but during the pandemic, I moved into the field of dementia. Very recently, I began work with a new company. I have been slowly studying how therapists and various doctors treat clients, as well as the various activities that soothe and/or stimulate their minds and memories.

Monday, I was surprised to see that the activities director was showing I Love Lucy, uncut, continuously all afternoon and evening (Pluto?). Most of the residents boasted huge smiles, and virtually all of them appeared transfixed. When I asked about this, the very young director stated that showing ILL is very common in these kinds of settings. She said the show is also broadcast in cancer wards. She further elaborated that while most residents no longer have the capacity to follow dialogue or plot, Ball's facial expressions are so much "a study in human behavior" that it keeps them glued. "Lucy", she said, "touches their hearts" so deeply that she "bypasses memory decline "

This was pretty profound to me.