Some Dance to Remember: Exploring the Psychosocial Effects of the Introduction of an Adaptive Irish Céilí Dance Group Activity with People Living with Dementia and their Carers

Abstract

There are currently 64,000 people living with dementia in Ireland and this figure is expected to rise to 150,000 by 2045. To date, a biomedical approach to managing the condition has been primarily adopted however, more recently, alternative methods have gained traction. Arts-based activities, including dance, are one such alternative. This research aimed to explore, in the context of the psychosocial effects of dance and movement, the experiences of facilitators and participants in a newly developed adaptive Irish Céilí dance programme for people living with dementia and their care staff. Research which explores the use of this dance genre as an arts based activity for those living with dementia or their care staff is limited. This research which included participants living with dementia attending, and care staff working in, a daycare centre in the mid-west region of Ireland, therefore provides a starting point to address this gap. The focus of this research is on the participants’ lived experience. A qualitative approach, utilising semi-structured interviews, researcher observations, and a reflexive journal, was therefore deemed the most appropriate for this research. The dance activity took place over a nine week period. Interviews were staged prior to the first dance activity, at the mid-point of the dance programme, and after the final dance activity. Participant consent was sought on an ongoing basis. In advance of any data collection, ethical approval to conduct the research was sought from, and approved by, the Limerick Institute of Technology. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. In the context of this research, Irish Céilí dance as an arts-based activity for those living with dementia and their care staff resulted in beneficial psychosocial outcomes including an enhanced ability for people living with dementia to reminisce. Their stories and memories of attending Céilí events in their past was evoked by participation in the dance classes and interview process. In turn, enhanced reminiscence was observed to have a positive influence on the mood and psychosocial well-being of both the participants living with dementia and the care staff participants