What Improv Taught Me About Caregiving

I wrote in my notes: “Write a post about how improv helps caregivers.”

I changed it to: “How improv helped me as a caregiver.”

My mom broke her hip. During her recovery, we discovered she had PSP, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a rare neurological disease (aprox 25,000 cases in the US) that shares some similarities with Parkinson’s. From diagnosis to her death four years later, I had a front-row seat to watching her brain and body change.

Wheelchair. Walker. Cane. Walker again. U-Step. Wheelchair again. And finally, her bed.

I’ve always been fascinated by the brain, so I threw myself into learning about PSP to understand what my mom was experiencing. But the thing that helped me most in the day-to-day caregiving wasn’t something I learned from neurology.

It was improv.

Improv taught me to pay attention, accept what is happening in the moment, and respond to what’s actually in front of me rather than what I thought was supposed to happen.

That turned out to be an incredibly useful skill.

Exercise was important to my mom, but like many of us, she really didn't want to do it. So I gamified it.

A regular walk became “Senior Par Corps.” At every bike rack or pole, we’d stop for leg raises, squats or whatever exercise we were working on.

I was a drill sargeant and she, a willing student, albeit easily distracted by the beauty of nature.

Pre-improv Kat might have gotten frustrated. Instead, I learned to join her world.

“Okay. Beautiful weed at the side of the road. Let’s look at it.”

And then we’d laugh.

Sometimes, to entertain her, I’d become different characters as we slowly made our way from one room to another.

Sometimes I’d create ridiculous photo shoots with her.

I once told her I was going to use the photos to prove she was crazy so I could take all her money. She laughed so hard she looked even crazier in the pictures.

Humor became a way of staying connected when so much was changing.

And improv gave me something I didn’t know I needed: the ability to stay flexible, let go of my agenda, find the funny, and meet the other person where they are. All good skills for a scene partner, vital skills for a caregiver.

All caregivers could benefit enormously from improv. Honestly, so could teachers, coaches, parents, leaders...

Anyone who has to navigate the unpredictable reality of being human with other humans-- you know, everyone.

Which is one of the reasons I co-created the Alignment Workshop.

(It's coming to the Chicago area, September 26, 2026.)

I, Meagan Novara and Kristina "Sumuki Devi" Lanuza, combine purposeful play (improv-like exercises), a Restorative Circle, and yoga for more presence, adaptability and connectedness.

If you know someone in the Chicago area whose life could use a little more flexibility, connection, laughter and breathing room, maybe a caregiver, teacher, coach, friend, or leader, send them this.

Because sometimes the best way to navigate a future that you can’t control is to get present to what’s actually happening.

Early-bird pricing ends August 26.

Read all about it and Sign up here: https://www.hellogorgeous.nyc/workshops