Everyday Waltzes for Active Ageing, Evaluating a Creative Movement Programme in Nursing Homes

Abstract

Singapore has started the process of integrating health and social care to promote holistic longterm care. This effort is taking many forms. One example is: Agency for Integrated Care and National Arts Council funded an initiative to integrate art activities into nursing homes. In early 2013, a pilot tested three curricula, of which one showed significantly greater benefit to nursing home residents, such as improved memory and confidence in avoiding falls. This study aims to gather further evidence of the effectiveness of a Creative Movement curriculum on improving well-being and quality of life of nursing home residents who are wheelchair bound or ambulant but require supervision most of the time. The programme curriculum consists of 12 onehour sessions where participants follow dancer-facilitators to connect everyday actions into creative movements to enhance mobility, sensory experience and imagination. The study involves a total of 80 nursing home residents from two homes, with 40 participating in the programme and 40 as a comparator group. Physical and mental health was assessed by nursing home staff preand post-pilot using: a localised version of the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and a modified version of the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES). Programme participants' emotional well-being were assessed at 4 sessions using a modified version of the Observed Emotion Rating Scale (OES). Post-pilot, short-answer questions captured residents’ and staffs’ perceptions about the programme. The programme delivery ended in early November 2014. AMTS, GDS, FES, and MBI scores will be analysed by comparing preand post-programme scores between the programme and 15th International Conference on Integrated Care, Edinburgh, UK, March 25-27, 2015 1 International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 15, 27 May – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-117090– http://www.ijic.org/ comparator groups. OES scores will be analysed by aggregating durations of each affect state (Pleasure, Anger, Anxiety/Fear, Sadness or General Alertness) exhibited by all participants across sessions. Short-answer responses will serve to further inform future curriculum modifications. This study will more precisely indicate the potential impact this Creative Movement curriculum can have on Singapore's nursing home residents' quality of life and serves as an example of integrating social components into a traditionally health-focused service.