Abstract:
Across Aotearoa and the globe, unprecedented population changes are contributing
to higher than ever numbers of older adults in our communities. With these changes
come increased numbers of older adults who are experiencing age-related cognitive
impairment and dementia. The costs of this are substantial, financially and
personally. Treatments and interventions that delay the onset of cognitive
impairment and provide appropriate treatment to support cognitive health are crucial.
There is increasing interest and examination of the use of dance for older adults’
cognitive health. Dance has been increasingly recognized as an intervention that
incorporates a combination of physical, cognitive, social and creative aspects that
provide a unique multi-modal experience for participants and may prevent and treat
cognitive decline in older adults. While considerable attention has been given to the
cognitive effects of dance participation for older adults, less attention has been
shown to the details of the dance interventions themselves. The lack of detail about
interventions limits research replication, comparison and the real-world application of
findings.
The questions driving the research were ‘What dance activities are being described
in dance interventions for the cognitive health of older adults’ and ‘How might details
of dance activities be more accurately communicated in research that explores
dance for the cognitive health of older adults?’. These questions were explored with
a mixed-methods approach within a pragmatic paradigm.
A reflexive thematic analysis of the descriptions of dance interventions for the
cognitive health of older adults found three themes within the dance activities
described; activities prompting the learning of choreography, activities prompting the
creative contribution of participants, and activities fostering connection. An
observational measure for examining, quantifying, and communicating dance
activities within dance sessions for older adults was developed and tested, revealing
a promising new method to contribute to future research.
