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Toronto researchers test benefits of dance for dementia patients

In the few studies that have been published, dancing programs in care homes seemed to decrease problematic behaviour and increase social interaction and enjoyment.

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Can dance classes improve quality of life for seniors with dementia?

Researchers from Baycrest and Canada’s National Ballet School have teamed up to find out.()

By KATE ALLENScience and Technology reporter

Tues., Nov. 24, 2015

One trend in dementia prevention research is to look at whether combining different protective behaviours delivers a stronger effect. Recent research, for example, has suggested that adding strength training to provides an added benefit.

“The reason for that is still unknown,” says Louis Bherer, scientific director of the PERFORM Centre at Concordia University, a facility devoted to prevention and healthy lifestyle research. “The brain is a very complex organ. It’s obviously well-furnished in blood and oxygen. But it’s also a complex organ that is plastic, in that if you learn all sorts of movement…your brain is working, not just your body.”

For that reason, researchers in Toronto have zeroed in on dance.

“Your brain is really multi-tasking in dance,” says Rachel Bar, a clinical psychology doctoral student at Ryerson who is also the health initiatives and research consultant for Canada’s National Ballet School and a former professional ballerina. “You’re focusing on music, on timing, on rhythm. But you’re also being physically active. There’s an aerobic component, there’s a co-ordination component — which is cognitive of course —there’s a memory component,” not to mention the social and emotional components. “Dance is like a full package.”

Bar is part of collaboration between Baycrest Health Sciences and Canada’s National Ballet School that provides dance classes to long-term-care residents with moderate to severe dementia. The researchers want to see whether the combined benefits of dance have an effect on the participants’ quality of life. In the few studies that have been published, dancing programs in care homes seemed to decrease problematic behaviour and increase social interaction and enjoyment in both residents and staff.

Bar estimates that research on dance and neuroscience is about two decades behind research on music and neuroscience. “I’m optimistic we’ll see a lot more research on dance and its effects on people and the brain in next 20 years. It’s gaining momentum.”

Baycrest resident Mari Waisglass, in the blue shirt, dances with instructor Anuschka Roes during a dance class. The classes for dementia patients are part of a collaboration between Baycrest and Canada’s National Ballet School.  (COLE BURSTON / TORONTO STAR) | ORDER THIS PHOTO