Some days you gotta dance 👣

In 10 seconds? You might have an elderly relative with dementia — they find it more difficult to think, remember and talk than other older people. The good news is that dance therapy can make their life and looking after them easier, so why not go dancing with them, and keep your brain in tip-top shape too?

Not convinced? Many studies have now shown that dance — especially freestyle — can dramatically slow down the progression of dementia. Freestyling forces you into sustained, rapid decision making, which helps you stay sharp. (read more)

But my nan already has dementia! And she can’t roll and do splits in the air…

• Nan can take it a bit easier — Gentle Latin ballroom dancing and other ‘music with movement’ therapies can be a great alternative to antipsychotic medications that treat dementia but often with severe side-effects. (read more)
• But she’ll feel better — Studies conducted in care homes proved that residents’ spatial memory and sense of well-being can improve through dancing.
• And be easier to care for — What’s more is that that carers can also benefit from dancing, through which they can learn to tap into residents’ feelings and provide better care. (read more)

What’s the opportunity?

• For therapists — The prevalence of dementia is rapidly expanding across the globe, doubling every 20 years. Effective non-pharmacological therapies will be in high demand. (read more)
• For carers — It may sound daunting and expensive to run dance classes, but one study has already shown that even a dance video game can improve patients’ motor skills. Keep your eye out for new cost-effective innovations.
• For families with dementia — If you have a loved one who has dementia, help their carers understand how patients can enjoy themselves at the same time as making their jobs easier. (show them this review)
• For entrepreneurs — A key hurdle to introducing unconventional treatment regimes is showing healthcare providers that you can produce a significant and quantifiable improvement on quality of life. Can you apply digital approaches to track progress of dementia patients undertaking creative therapies like dancing and painting?

What non-technical factors could hinder innovations in this field?

• Lack of interest from care home bosses
  or
• Health providers being convinced that drug therapies are more cost effective
  or
• Lack of support from political decision makers in charge of healthcare policy

(Psst, we distilled 10 research papers to save you 363.3 min)