Summary
'Shall We Dance?' is a project, funding by FEAST and managed by Arts for Health Cornwall and The Works Theatre and Dance Agency. It was developed in order to increase the opportunities for older people to access dance with the aim of improving their holistic sense of well being.
The project had two aspects; one consisting of dance projects in a range of care settings and, the other being a series of one-off Tea Dances.
This evaluation covers the dance projects in care settings, with the evaluation of the Tea Dances being covered in a separate report.
Each project was fully evaluated and all the evaluations showed that the participants gained the following health benefits:
- Increased happiness, confidence and feelings of being valued
- Increased levels of socialisation, with conversations and communication extending beyond the dance sessions. A sense of belonging, through participating together, and feelings of value and purpose were also noted by many. Friendships developed between the participants and between the participants and care staff
- Improvements in physical health were reported in many of the settings. This included improved concentration, sleep patterns, relaxation and general fitness
- Other reported benefits included a change in the environment, an increase in skill levels, understanding and a sense of calm for many.
The full report can be downloaded below.
www.ahsw.org.uk/evaluation.aspx?id=334