What kinds of Dance Therapy for Dementia are available in Michigan?

I'm an adult son looking to enrich me and my dad's quality of party as we manage his dementia diagnosis like it's Friday Night 1999.

How does a dance party fit into a brain-healthy lifestyle?

Music and dance therapy aids challenges the brain in new ways to break the same old routine, by introducing new sounds or linking to buried memories of the past to eliciting emotional response that music uniquely brings forth.

Modern 2022 Midwest research from the University of Illinois shows evidence dancing increases quality of life and overall mood for people living with Alzheimers (which has implications for broader dementia applications).

The Western Michigan University highlights the broad applications of music therapy to target non-musical goals “for all ages and diagnoses [...] for individuals or groups”.

If my dad didn’t get parkinson’s and dementia, maybe he would’ve picked up acoustic guitar into retirement. Now we are here, with memories of my dad’s creative brilliance, and memory care in the meantime.

On My Wishlist! The JBL Boombox 2 #ad is the "Play it Loud" bluetooth speaker with the ideal handle seniors with mobility or arthritis issues who want to get an indoor/outdoor party started anytime. I recently bought a pair of JBL EON ONE Compact professional bluetooth speakers for my brand new senior events business.

Where can I find a dance party in Michigan?

Southeast Michigan and the metro Detroit area have the most robust variety and accessibility and innovation of dementia dance therapy services available in Michigan.

I’m talking about dance in particular. If you’re looking for music therapy in Michigan, try the Michigan Music Therapist Organization’s (MMTO) contact directory to talk with a certified professional. Or the MMTO’s old website.

I don’t know enough yet to give you a satisfactory map of available dance therapy for people living with dementia in Michigan. Instead, I’ll hand you a general summary of what’s out there.

• Nursing Homes - Forward-thinking nursing homes schedule dance parties and “Rumba” style jazzercise sessions, and encourage their residents to join. An 11:00 dance party sounds like a great way for anyone to start the day with delight.
• Online Sessions - Especially since the pandemic, many music therapists have turned to Zoom and other streaming platforms to hold virtual dementia dance parties with people from anywhere. You just have to find one, sign up, and show up. Many are designed specifically for dementia, Alzheimer's, and/or Parkinson’s.
• Fundraiser Events. For people who like the idea, but would rather watch other people dance (and miss out on all the fun), celebrities are known to throw dance party fundraisers to end dementia, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. “Move your tush to end Alzheimers!” At the local level, performance arts centers commonly serve their communities with dementia-focused dance activities.
• Senior Community Centers. New age yoga-esque dance therapy is less common at senior centers and senior-focused housing centers. What’s more common are “Jazzercize” style “Move-to-the-music” to get a workout style activities for seniors. While those designed particularly for the elderly with dementia are less common, I’ve found me and Big Poppa are welcome most places we go to party as long as we bring our own sippy cups.
• Live Music Performances. Just because it’s not labeled “music therapy” doesn’t mean listening to a live music performance is not a therapeutic experience. Quite the opposite, taking my Big Poppa to the Soaring Eagle Casino to see the REO Speedwagon concert would stir up some good old memories, enough for me to call it music therapy. When you’re 70+ it’s OK to dance from your concert-style chair or special wheelchair seating.

Summary

That’s a good reason to start a dance party with friends who have dementia. Living with dementia and caregiving for dementia is a stressful and isolating experience, for the person diagnosed with dementia for the family members responsible for that person’s care. Beyond exercise and physical rehabilitation, the benefits of dance parties focused on dementia care extend towards social engagement, personal enrichment, and getting footloose with your friends in the barn outside county lines.