This article by Stephanie Soscia was written subsequent to an interview of me at the ARTZ & Hebrew Senior Life Arts and Dementia conference October 4 in Dedham, MA where I presented “Enlivening people with Dementia Through Movement.
"Dance therapy increases the connection to both self and others, having a positive effect on focus, verbalization, liveliness, and joy. It also decreases anxiety, lethargy, and isolation – common issues residents with dementia face in nursing homes today."
Dance therapy, also known as Dance/Movement Therapy or DMT is a discrete discipline which "uses movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical, social and spiritual integration of the individual." You can read more about dance/movement therapy and dementia here by clicking on DMT with Alzheimer's Disease. According to the ADTA, Dance/Movement Therapy is
" Focused on movement behavior as it emerges in the therapeutic relationship. Expressive, communicative, and adaptive behaviors are all considered for group and individual treatment. Body movement, as the core component of dance, simultaneously provides the means of assessment and the mode of intervention for dance/movement therapy."
Board-Certification as a dance/movement therapist ensures "the highest standards of education, credentialing, ethical practice and professional identity of dance/movement therapists".
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