Happiness, laughter, and a sense of community go hand in hand.  Getting older and retirement both involve a change in lifestyle for most people – and as outlined above, it’s important to take care of your mental health as well as physical health. It has been well documented that being part of a community can have a positive effect on mental health in well-being, in the way that laughter can. They are inextricably linked! Community involvement provides a sense of belonging and social contentedness. It can also offer extra meaning, purpose and enjoyment to everyday life and can help improve and enrich one’s retirement. Communities can exist or be created from a shared location, hobbies, lived experiences and backgrounds – and LifeCare Residences provide their residents with just that, a sense of community.  The award-winning and internationally renowned retirement community operator recognises the importance of socialising, fun and a community spirit. The communities operated by Lifecare Residences provide vibrant places to live offering a full-spectrum of five-star amenities and services that make day-today living smoother. The LifeCare Residences team believe that staying socially active and feeling part of a community empowers self-esteem and a sense of self-worth.  To help achieve this, every LifeCare Residences retirement community benefits from the services of a lifestyle co-ordinator who organises local excursions, talks from visiting speakers on a variety of topics and on-site activities and functions. The teams at Battersea Place in London, Somerleigh Court in Dorchester, Dorset, and Grove Place in Hampshire are dedicated to helping facilitate a wide array of clubs, activities and classes to get involved in, as well as helping to arrange interesting trips and visits. What is more, laughter itself forms contagious social bonds, research has found. The pleasurable and calming effects of the endorphin release caused by laughter promote feelings of safety and togetherness – much the same as the sense of community provides. The endorphin release induced by social laughter may be an important pathway that supports formation, reinforcement, and maintenance of social bonds between humans. So, as well as making us feel better, laughter can also improve the wellbeing of those around us. Another study found how the brain responds to the sound of laughter and preps the brain and face to join in the fun. The residents at Grove Place love throwing themselves into some community fun. Most recently, the residents had a good laugh on Shrove Tuesday with a pancake tossing competition. A fun snooker tournament was also held recently where the residents were delighted to take on and beat the staff!  Indeed, residents Elaine and Philip Gaussen made the move to Grove Place to begin the next chapter in their lives and have never looked back as they thoroughly embrace the buzz and sense of community.  Elaine adds, “We hadn’t realized how strong the Grove Place community was before we arrived. It’s so lovely to have nice friends and neighbours to socialise with. Everyone is so kind, and we feel at home here.”