Dance interventions for people with dementia: systematic review and practice recommendations

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Dance interventions are social activities for people with dementia in care settings.
• Previous studies on dance effectiveness have methodological limitations.
• Further exploration of dance interventions for dementia is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze existing studies on dance interventions for people with dementia.
• To identify practice recommendations for developing these interventions.
• To enhance the application and research of dance interventions.

Main Methods:

• An electronic database search was conducted in December 2017.
• Included studies of any experimental design.
• Analysis focused on study design, participant profiles, intervention details, and involved processes.

Main Results:

• Fourteen records were analyzed, showcasing diverse study designs.
• Intervention descriptions and performance were well-documented.
• Nine practice recommendations were identified for therapeutic or recreational dance interventions.

Conclusions:

• Dance is a holistic intervention applicable for therapeutic or leisure purposes.
• Current practice recommendations for dance interventions are incomplete and require further study.
• Recommendations can aid clinicians and researchers in optimizing dance interventions for dementia care.