Dance As An Innovative Health Promotion Strategy

Pat Spadafora Director, Sheridan Elder Research Centre (SERC)

Sheridan College, Oakville, CanadaPrague, May 30th, 2012

MOVEMENT MATTERS

SERC Mission Statement

Through applied research, the Sheridan Elder Research Centre will identify, develop, test and support the implementation of innovative

strategies that improve the quality of life for older adults and their families.

Sheridan Elder Research Centre for Creative Aging (SERCCA)

MissionTo seek innovative ways for older adults of all

ages and abilities to actively participate in the creative and performing arts.

To better understand how participation in skill-based arts activities enhances quality

of life and promotes healthy aging.

Research Questions

• Does participation in twice weekly dance classes for 12 weeks result in an improvement in physical measures?

• Does participation lead to an improvement in psychological measures of well-being?

• Will reports of self-efficacy, feelings of control and psychological well-being increase over the course of the dance classes?

Methodology

• Twice a week dance program (12 weeks, 9 at Sheridan)• Professionally trained dance instructors• Pre and post quantitative and qualitative measures• Six types of sites:

Retirement and long-term care homes On campus at Sheridan College (*9 weeks) Supportive housing location Alzheimer Day Program Expansion site - community Centre, Vancouver

(Winter, 2012)

Data Collection: Quantitative Measures

• Senior Fitness Test Kit• Weight• Berg Balance Scale• WHO Quality of Life Scale• Exercise Habits Questionnaire• Exercise Barriers Scale• Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)

Data collection: Qualitative Measures

• Participant journals (with guided questions)

• Pre and post face-to-face interviews

• Dance teacher’s observations and reports

Participant Profile – Sheridan Site

• # of participants who completed the study = 39

• Average age = 67.6• 37 female, 2 male• % who wear hearing aids = 4• # who report taking medications = 28

Reported Health conditions:Arthritis, stroke, head injury, cardiac event, lung

disease, concussion, hypertension, osteoporosis

Pre-Class Interview Results

Reason for taking class Percentage respondingPhysical fitness/exercise 60%Enjoys dance 37%To lose weight 21%Socializing/social opportunity 18%For the learning experience 16%To improve mood/feel better 14%To participate in research 14%

• 67% reported that their general health was good• 63% indicated that their sleep was good

• Rating of frequency of social interactions: 2.9• Rating of quality of social interactions: 3

(5 = excellent)

Pre-Class Interview Results

Pre-Class Interview Results: Quality of Life (QoL)

Responses categorized as either positive(“My health is good”) or negative (“My health is bad”)

Category Positive Negative

Health 21% 12%Family 28% 11%Life Satisfaction

72% 9%

Financial Security

9% 5%

• Yoga based warm up with the aid of the ballet barre

• After the warm up, participants are taught a series of linking steps choreographed to various music genres

• Cool down

Typical Class Structure

Typical Class Structure

Post Class Interview Results

Met personal goals by participating in the dance classes

74%

Improved QoL and health as a result of taking the class

69%

Improved sleep 31%

Felt the class had a positive impact on mood

84%

Reported positive socialization experiences with other participants

80%

Thought class has a positive impact on their socialization with others in general

84%

Started participating in new activities as a result of participation in class

28%

Outcomes at Sheridan Site

Significant improvements (p < 0.05, paired t-tests) o Weighto Lower and upper body

strengtho Shoulder flexibilityo Speed of movemento Balanceo Physical health aspect of

quality of lifeo Increased positive mood;

decreased negative mood

Journal Themes: Physical Impact

Most participants noticed physical benefits including:

• feeling refreshed• sleeping & eating better• increased energy & stamina• improved posture &

balance• Disappearance of some

chronic conditions (e.g. joint pain) was reported by several participants

“I notice I don’t have any stiff joints. I had a tight right shoulder, had even taken therapy for it but I had a hard lump that wouldn’t go away and at times it ached. This dance class has gotten rid of my bad shoulder. The hard lump is gone and no more aches”

“Cancelling chiropractor adjustments because they are not needed”

Journal Themes – Emotional Impact

“I always come out of these feeling more loose and limber and full of energy and happier!”

“It’s been a long time since I actually was excited about anything – or ever really genuinely looked forward to anything”

“But – it was like coming home – to ‘the barre’ – to the music – the sound of the piano – plié, tendu, developpé – the structure – the memory – my ‘inner’ dancer so buried for so many years”

Journal Themes – Emotional Impact

Journal Themes - Cognition

“I rehearsed the warm-up routine in my head this morning and I can remember about 80% of it..will practice it before the next class....I love that it’s serious work – not trivial steps that we’re doing”

“They (the dance classes) became a bit more challenging, that was good. We were now into a routine therefore we had to focus on what was being taught. Our minds were at work as we were having to remember the steps”

Is Dance an Innovative Health Promotion Strategy?

Yes! 1.) Transfer of Physical Improvements:• Physical outcomes are associated with common

Activities of Daily Living, including lifting groceries, doing housework or climbing stairs.

• By improving both balance and lower-body strength, participants in the dance program may decrease their risk of falling.

Summary - continued

2.) Social Interaction & Quality of Life• Health is characterized by more than simply physical

well-being. Opportunities for positive social interactions contribute to optimum health.

• Participants reported that they were more satisfied with the frequency of their social interactions at the end of the project than they were at the start.

What makes a program successful?

• Based on older adult learning principles• Programs are meaningful and purposeful• Sequentially developed programs• Led by professionally trained artists• Programs are evaluated• Sustainable – importance of involvement over

time

Next Steps & Future Directions

• A number of Sheridan participants still dancing! What are the long-term benefits?

• Creation of a Canadian Arts, Aging and Applied Research collaboration, demonstrating the benefits of creativity and aging research

• Exploration of the intersection between technology and the creative/performing arts (Latin Dance pilot & ‘Digital meets dance’)

Thank you!

pat.spadafora@sheridaninstitute.caPhone: 905-845-9430, ext 8615Fax: 905-815-4230

Website: http://serc.sheridaninstitute.ca Blog: http://agingmatters.blogspot.com