Music and dance can be great hobbies and professions, but did you know they can also have incredible benefits for adults in their golden years? When performed regularly, music and dance can keep the mind sharp, improve socialization, increase energy levels, lower stress levels, and help people with daily living tasks like bathing and getting dressed. And because most forms of dance are not strenuous in nature, they’re safe for all ages to enjoy. Find out how music and dance for seniors can improve your life today!
Strengthen Your Heart
Dancing can reduce resting blood pressure and heart rate as well as improve your body’s use of oxygen. These are all signs of a strong heart. Healthy hearts improve circulation and boost energy levels, which could lead to increased strength for daily activities like cooking, cleaning, or even climbing stairs.
Maintain Balance
Dancing uses many different muscle groups at once to move your body in various directions. This helps maintain strength and range of motion while decreasing joint pain. Studies have also shown that dance improves posture, which may decrease the risk of falls among older adults.
Improve Strength, Flexibility, and Agility
Dancing is a great way to increase muscle strength and flexibility, which can improve overall health and quality of life for adults in their golden years. It also helps seniors with balance and coordination. Not only that, but research shows that music can improve both cardiovascular health (the ability of your heart to pump blood) and cognitive health (your ability to think). Exercise on its own might help with many things as well—but dancing comes with its own special perks, including connecting you with others in a fun environment that provides social support, which many adults in their golden years need. All in all, there’s a lot of evidence suggesting dancing is good for you—even if you’re not young anymore!
Keep Mentally Sharp
Forget newfangled brain games; music and dance exercises can give your gray matter a jolt. A recent study in Neuropsychology found that adults in their golden years who attended twice-weekly hip-hop classes at a community center saw improvements in verbal memory, mental flexibility, and motor skills after just three months. Those gains lasted for six months following their participation in the program. By staying mentally active through activities like music and dance, older adults can ward off dementia and other age-related conditions by keeping their brains active.
Prevent Falls
One major problem with aging is physical frailty and related fall risks. A recent study found that aging family members who took classes at a local center were 58% less likely to have a fall-related injury. That number rose to 82% when those participants maintained their exercise regimens outside of class. In their golden years, adults can improve their strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and overall fitness through music and dance while reducing their risk of falls.
Reduce Depression
Loneliness and low self-esteem are common among adults who feel isolated from society or family in their golden years. These conditions often contribute to or coincide with depression; however, music can go a long way toward countering these negative effects.
Connect and Engage Socially
Music and dance have a way of engaging older adults socially. They can provide opportunities for people to connect in meaningful ways and make new friends, which can be difficult for those without any interest groups or social circles available to them.
