Dance-based therapy in a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly: an integrative approach to decrease fall risk.
BACKGROUND
Loss of balance and diminished gait are major fall risk factors in older persons. Literature suggests that physical activity based on dance may improve balance and gait. The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether dance-based therapy affects the balance/gait of community-based frail seniors.


METHODS
The Roy Adaptation Model and Environmental Press Theory were used as joint frameworks.


METHODS
Eleven participants were recruited from a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Inclusion criteria were (1) Mini-Mental State Examination score of 23 or more, (2) attending PACE on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and (3) able to stand with or without assistance.


METHODS
A Lebed Method dance intervention was conducted using a longitudinal design 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Functional Reach and Timed Get Up and Go were measured at baseline, 6 weeks after the start of the intervention, and 6 weeks postintervention and repeated to estimate the persistence of the effect.


CONCLUSIONS
Graphs were compared looking for functional trends; postintervention interviews were conducted with each subject.


CONCLUSIONS
Dance therapy results in positive functional trends, suggesting that further study using dance-based therapy will be useful to decrease fall risks in older persons.
Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. jakck5@missouri.edu
Jean
J
Krampe
Marilyn J
MJ
Rantz
Laura
L
Dowell
Richard
R
Schamp
Marjorie
M
Skubic
Carmen
C
Abbott
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D003614:Dance Therapy; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005684:Gait; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000517:prevention & control; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010865:Pilot Projects; D004856:Postural Balance; D016730:Program Development; D011594:Psychometrics; D018570:Risk Assessment