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Updated 8/12/15 1:12pm
Alert1 thinks you’re never too old to get down and boogie! Dancing is a great way to stay healthy and happy, and that applies for people of all ages, especially seniors. Participating in dance (or dance-based therapy) can improve your cardiovascular health and increase your strength. Plus dancing is a social activity that’s enjoyed all around the world—you can dance anywhere you like!
As a senior safety company, we’re always looking for tips to avoid or prevent falls for our members. Seniors who dance can also improve their balance, gait and overall functioning. Dancing can help help reduce the risk of falls, fractures and immobility.. Dancing, combined with a fall detection medical alert from Alert1, keeps seniors a skip and a hop away from fall related incidents. Now what are you waiting for!? Grab your grandmas and grandpas and get out on the dance floor!
Physical activity is a vital part of healthy living. The American Heart Association recommends getting moderately intense exercise for at least 20 minutes, at least three times a week. Dancing is a great choice because it combines aerobic exercise with weight-bearing and muscle-bearing activities for seniors. It can seem like a lot of effort, but making physical activity a regular part of your lifestyle will have far reaching effects on your wellbeing. If you are a senior family caregiver, dancing could be an activity you do together with your loved one.
Growing evidence says that dance is good medicine for seniors. Several studies done at University of Missouri found that participants in dance-based therapy programs reported improved balance, walking speed, and gait in as few as six weeks.
This is good news for seniors because those three things are the risk factors for falling. Another study done at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that ballroom dancing is associated with a lowered risk of dementia because of the mental challenge. Following complex dance steps and moving in time with the rhythm of the music is great for the brain.
Consider these facts on dance lessons for seniors:
- Dance lessons can sharpen your mind and bring back a renewed interest in everyday life.
- The most popular types of dance for seniors are ballroom dancing, tap dancing, and square dancing.
- Dancing can help you stay “heart healthy” by improving circulation, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, and easing tension.
- You can burn more calories, develop better posture, and build more muscle mass by dancing than by walking or riding a stationary bike. Strength and muscle mass help prevent osteoporosis.
- If your loved one is dancing, they are getting out of the house and socializing. Engaging in life will lower their risk of depression.
- If you or your loved one need a more low-impact dance exercise, you may want to consider line dancing, chair dancing, or tai-chi for seniors.
Remember that it is important to check with your doctor before starting anything new. If your loved one will be doing an in-home dance program, consider purchasing a fall detection medical alert. Then even when they are exercising, your loved one will be able to call for help using their convenient senior help button.
Alert1 wants to know: have you or a loved one tried dancing as a form of therapy or exercise? How has it improved your health or the way you feel? What type of dance is your favorite?
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