Dancing for Health: A New Initiative for Dementia Care in Sheffield

Sheffcare's Dementia and Wellbeing Manager, Kathryn Rawling, has developed a programme that combines music and movement to support residents' health and happiness, inspired by research from the University of Edinburgh highlighting the benefits of dance for wellbeing. This new initiative, in partnership with dance specialist Tracey Barnes of Dancing for Health CIC, aims to provide a seated dance class for residents with dementia at Sheffcare's specialist dementia home Valley Wood in Heeley, and eventually roll out to the other eight Sheffcare homes across the city, benefiting almost 500 residents.

Key Takeaways:

• The programme combines music and movement to support residents' health and happiness, building on research from the University of Edinburgh on the benefits of dance for wellbeing.
• The initiative is a partnership between Sheffcare and Dancing for Health CIC, with funding from Sports England.
• The 20-week seated dance class will be led by Tracey Barnes and will be rolled out to Sheffcare's other eight homes, benefiting almost 500 residents.
• The project aims to create specific dance content for residents with dementia and to explore the potential of dancing to reduce the risk of developing dementia and slow down progression.
• Resident activity workers will receive training and tools to sustain the project into the future.

Statistics:

• The programme will benefit almost 500 residents across Sheffcare's eight homes.
• The seated dance class is 20 weeks long and will be led by Tracey Barnes.
• The project has received funding from Sports England.
• Dancing for Health has previously successfully used dance to help people with Parkinson's disease.

Sources:

• University of Edinburgh
• Sheffcare
• Dancing for Health CIC
• Yorkshire Sport
• Sports England