Dance/Movement Therapy and the Quality of Life for Individuals with Late Stage Dementia: A Clinical Method

Dementia is a global healthcare concern, and while there is currently no cure for the disease, there are several major approaches used to slow its progression and improve the quality of life of people and families who live with dementia. Dementia impacts mostly older adults, and currently there is little evidence is known about how Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) may impact the pace or quality of life in such individuals. This study explored the impact of a DMT method developed for this study was based on principles established by one of the founders of DMT, Marian Chace and implemented in a group setting within a residential home. Participants were four individuals over the age of 80 who were diagnosed with advanced dementia. Over the course of three weeks, three one-hour sessions were conducted, and an inductive analysis was applied to data compiled from each session. An inductive analysis was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) on improving the quality of life for individuals with advanced dementia. Themes that emerged from the inductive analysis were cross referenced with the Quality of Life Movement Assessment for Persons with Advanced Dementia created by Donna Newman-Bluestein (2013). The results of this analysis revealed that participants benefited most from being given opportunities to engage in meaningful experiences. Substantive impacts were observed when props such as maracas and an Octaband were utilized to engage participants while moving