Israeli doctors found out that dancing for 15 minutes a day lifts the spirits of the elderly and strengthens a family's bond, according to Daily Mail.
In the research article Free-Form Dance as an Alternative Interaction for Adult Grandchildren and Their Grandparents, Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) empowered the grandmothers and their grandchildren who danced with them.
The aim of the article was to see if the "joint dancing of an adult grandchild with his or her grandparent will contribute to improving the relationship and to familiarity between them, and will improve the older person's physical, social, and mental status," according to Frontiers in Psychology.
How dance can change the world in a few steps
In the study, the granddaughters copied their grandmothers, suggesting to expand their dance moves, encourage eye contact, touch, and playfulness. The granddaughters also empowered their grandmothers and told them they could rest. It "created a change in the grandmother's state of mind: positive memories and feelings appeared, as did uplifted spirits," according to the article.
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The granddaughters were the DM therapists in the study. The researchers found out that the perspective of the grandchildren on old age changed during the experiment. It also reduced anxiety and depression in the elderly, said Sabine Koch, Director of Health Informatics Centre (HIC).
After the sessions, Daily Mail said, "Both generations expressed gratitude and felt their bond was stronger." It required virtually no cost to boost the spirits of both generations and improve their overall wellness.
Dr. Einat Shuper Engelhard, one of the authors of the study, said, "increase of the proportion of elderly in the population, along with the increase in the age group of adult grandchildren, necessitates creativity and innovation in providing diverse resources and support.
She added that bond will only increase if it is done with their own grandmother. Dancing with them will also alert grandchildren regarding their needed support due to their advanced age.
Stronger and tighter family ties
"The unique framework of the meeting promoted physical activity even when the body was fatigued and weak and in circumstances where the GM was not accustomed to participating in other physical activities," Dr. Engelhard said. It creates new memories and introduces opportunities for the pair to know each other more.
Making dancing a habit can also make the elderly stronger. In the article, The Neuroanatomical Correlates of Training-Related Perceptuo-Reflex Uncoupling in Dancers published by Psychology Today, "years of training can enable dancers to suppress signals from the balance organs in the inner ear linked to the cerebellum," it said.
First published in Imperial College London, it discovered that dancing can "help to improve treatment for patients with chronic dizziness." 30% of people older than 65 years experience dizziness in some form, according to Annals of Family Medicine.
Psychology Today also suggests incorporating "some type of dance at least once a week" to maximize brain function. In the article, The Cognitive Benefits of Movement Reduction: Evidence From Dance Marking, it said practicing routines using marking reduces mental strain needed to perfect movements.
For the elderly, this is good news. Reducing mental strain will help seniors achieve good mental health. The World Health Organization says "many older adults are at risk of developing mental disorders, neurological disorders or substance use problems as well as other health conditions such as diabetes, hearing loss, and osteoarthritis."
Inserting dance into their routine, even for just 15 minutes, will make a huge difference.
