Dance Workshop for Institutionalized Seniors With Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

Launched by CENTRE HOSPITALIER EMILE ROUX · Mar 22, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called the APAISE project, is exploring the effects of a dance workshop on seniors living in care facilities who have dementia and experience behavioral and psychological symptoms, like mood changes or agitation. While there’s no cure for dementia, research suggests that physical activities, especially dance, can help improve symptoms and enhance overall well-being. The goal of this study is to see if dance can slow down these troubling symptoms in patients with dementia.

To participate, individuals must be over 65 years old, currently living in a care facility, and experiencing specific behavioral issues related to dementia. They should be able to move their upper body and have stable medication for at least a month before joining the study. Participants can expect to engage in enjoyable dance sessions that may not only help with their mood but also encourage social interaction and improve their overall physical and mental function. It’s important to note that if someone has severe hearing or vision problems, or other significant health issues, they may not be eligible for this trial.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Institutionalized patient (male or female) over 65 years of age ;
• • 2. Patient with behavioral problems, as measured by an NPI-ES ≥ 4 on any item and an NPI-ES impact scale ≥ 3 ;
• • 3. Patient able to mobilize the upper body at a minimum (arms, trunk, head);
• • 4. Medication (antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics and related hypnotics) without major modification for at least 30 days prior to inclusion after medical advice;
• • 5. Possibility of including patients under guardianship or curatorship;
• • 6. Patient affiliated to a social security plan;
• • 7. Obtaining consent from the patient or legal representative.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 8. Inability of the patient to follow the sessions (e.g., major visual/auditory disabilities), difficult follow-up, or any other reason at the discretion of the investigator;
• • 9. Inability of the health care team to complete the NPI-ES questionnaire for the patient;
• • 10. Patient has a concurrent psychiatric disorder (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other).