Dancing for Better Aging: Evaluating the Impact of a Dance/Movement Therapy (D/MT) Program for Older Adults

Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Geriatrie de Montreal75 enrolled

Overview

The aim of this study is to empirically evaluate the impact of a Dance/Movement Therapy program adapted to older adults. Participants over 60 years old are enrolled in one of three groups: Dance/Movement Therapy, Aerobic Exercise or Waiting List (control group) for 12 weeks. The training groups occur 3 times a week for 1 hour each session. Physical condition, cognitive function, general health and lifestyle, and stress hormones are assessed at baseline, after 12 weeks and after 28 weeks.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Aging

Interventions

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT)OTHER

Each DMT session follows a similar structure of Opening, Warm up, Development, Cool Down and Closure. Various themes dedicated to an aging population are addressed by the supervising dance/movement therapist through movement activities and using support material (i.e., props, music). This group is provided in a group setting of maximum 10 participants at a time and occurs 3 times per week for 1 hour each session over the course of 12 weeks.

Aerobics Exercise (AE)OTHER

The aerobics exercise program is composed of warm up exercises followed by cardiovascular training on a recumbent bicycle. The intensity is set and progressively increased using each participants' individualized maximal aerobic power obtained in the baseline VO2 evaluation. This program respects the recommendations made by the American College of Sports Medicine and their adaptations for aging populations. Each session is supervised by a kinesiologist with 2 participants at a time. The training occurs 3 times per week for 1 hour each session over the course of 12 weeks.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 60 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * aged 60 years and older * sedentary or moderately sedentary (less than 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week) * have not participated in another similar study in the last year * have not been exposed to a dance or dance/movement therapy program in the past year * are not in a wheelchair * have not had surgery in the past year * have not smoked in the past 5 years * do not consume more than 2 glasses a day of alcohol * are not in treatment for major depression Exclusion Criteria: * progressive neurological disorder * unstable medical conditions (unstable cardio illness in the past 6 months, cardiac or thyroid troubles or pituitary gland illness) * contraindication for moderate physical activity (major orthopaedic limitations) * suspicion of cognitive problems (score of 24 or less on the Mini-Mental State Examination) * large uncorrected perceptual limits * treatment of hormone therapy * uncontrolled hearing loss

Locations (1)

IUGM

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Z-score change on Cognitive Functioning

Assessment of executive functions, processing speed and memory

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Z-score change on Psychological Condition

SF-12

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Psychological Condition

Lubbens Social Network Scale

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Psychological Condition

Mental Health Continuum

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Psychological Condition

Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Psychological Condition

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Psychological Condition

Depression Scale

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Dietary Screener Questionnaire

Time frame: 0,12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

Time frame: 0,12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Brief Pain Inventory

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence ( ICIQ-UI)

Urinary Incontinence

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Functioning

Timed up and go

Time frame: 0,12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Functioning

10m walk

Time frame: 0,12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Functioning

Grip strength

Time frame: 0,12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Condition

VO2 peak

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Condition

Bone density scanning (DEXA)

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Condition

BMI

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Condition

Rockport walking aerobic fitness test

Time frame: 0, 12 and 28 weeks

Z-score change on Physical Condition

Anthropometric measures composite

Time frame: 0,12 and 28 weeks

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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