title: Dance performance as a method of intervention as experienced by older persons with dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown that dance can bring out the strength and resources of persons with dementia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe for later evaluation how older persons with dementia experience dance performances in a nursing home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four dance performances, based on the recollections the older persons had of different seasons, were arranged in one nursing home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative descriptive study, with 13 older persons with dementia, four family members, seven nurses and three practical nurse students. Data were collected and analysed using methodological triangulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older persons identified dance performance activity as a process. They had a positive attitude towards the dance performance and performers, and they had experiences of different elements of the dance performance. The older persons forgot their ailments during the performances, and the performances evoked various emotions and awoke memories. Some of them had negative experiences of dancing and dance performances. The older persons experienced a common bond with other spectators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Watching a dance performance is an active process for older persons with dementia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reminiscence about the dance performance gives the older person an opportunity to deal with the experiences evoked by the performance.
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Sciences, School of Health and Sports, Kajaani, Finland. Teija.ravelin@kajaani.net
authors.forename: Teija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ravelin
authors.forename: Arja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isola
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kylmä
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001519:Behavior; D003614:Dance Therapy; D003615:Dancing / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D009735:Nursing Homes