Author(s): OKA, C., Institution: OCHANOMIZU UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1219

Introduction
There remains insufficient discussion regarding what content is appropriate for dance programmes targeting elderly individuals in the later stages of care dependency, and what effects can be expected. While dance therapy is recognised as effective in improving depressive states, and aerobic dance has been shown to be effective in preventing frailty, dance programmes for elderly individuals who have already developed dementia have not been examined.
This study aims to clarify how each session within a dance programme for elderly individuals requiring care influences participants, and what programme structure is particularly suitable.
Methods
A one-hour dance programme was conducted monthly over two years at a day care facility for elderly individuals aged 70 and over requiring care. The sessions were filmed. From the video recordings, participants' reactions during each session and changes observed throughout the programme were extracted as episode descriptions and organised as qualitative data. The dance programme was conducted with participants seated. Its structure combined: pre-choreographed dances performed to rhythmic music; slow dances synchronising breath and imagery; improvisational dance; dancing while humming along to lyrics; and contact improvisation involving one-to-one hand-holding with the instructor.
Results
Participants who appeared passive and looked downwards before the programme began were observed to gradually become more active during the session, moving their bodies more vigorously. The sessions during which participants became active varied: some moved significantly from the outset of the pre-choreographed dance, while others only moved during contact improvisation, showing considerable variation. However, when dance incorporating singing was structured before the improvisation session, greater activity was demonstrated during the improvisation session.
Considerations
While elderly individuals exhibiting symptoms of dementia display individual variations in physical motor and cognitive functions, making it challenging to devise a dance programme accessible to all participants in elderly care facilities, combining diverse sessions enables the creation of programmes that can accommodate a greater number of elderly participants. While the task of learning and executing choreography remains important, sessions involving improvising movements, moving while recalling past memories, encouraging vocalisation through singing to create a state conducive to movement, and creating movements through careful one-to-one interaction, were also shown to be important for increasing the physical activity levels and sense of achievement among the very elderly. Dance programmes for the very elderly, whose cognitive, auditory, and motor functions are declining, should be designed with a different perspective from frailty prevention, particularly focusing on the anticipated psychological benefits.