Major
Biological Sciences
Minor(s)
Sociology
Advisor
McGough, Ellen
Advisor Department
Physical Therapy
Date
5-2023
Keywords
Dementia; Alzheimer's; Dance; Therapy
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and is caused by progressive neurodegenerative changes in the brain that alters one’s memory, attention, and language. As cognitive function decreases, people with dementia experience deficits in mobility, resulting in muscle stiffness and rigidity that debilitates their personhood. Therefore, an appropriate approach that creates a stimulating, pressure-free environment to encourage those with Alzheimer’s to move can help them have a renewed quality of life, positive behavior changes, and decreased anxiety. More specifically, incorporating dance-based exercises that utilize rhythmization, cognitive integration, social inclusion, and improvisation can be a holistic and practical approach to facilitating natural movement in people with dementia. Dance is a beneficial form of physical activity because it enables universal freedom of expression while motivating people with dementia to have synchronized bodily movements to music. Hence, this project will focus on developing and piloting a dance/movement program for people with dementia to enhance their emotional, physical, and social integration. The dance program aims to access natural and automatic movements through preserved cognitive functions and implicit teaching strategies. Two trial sessions of the dance program will be piloted at the South Kingstown Senior Center through the voluntary participation of older adults with dementia. Each session will be approximately forty minutes, consisting of sitting and standing exercises accommodating each participant's functional ability. The dance class will incorporate a warm-up, dance exercise portion, group movement activity, and cool down. Key strategies such as movement mirroring, variation in movement dynamics, and familiar verbal cues will engage participants in the dance program by leveraging their motor memory to create a worthwhile exercise experience. Thus, the program will function to curate a safe space for older people with dementia that reinforces dimensions of self through purposeful movement and expression.