The Benefits of Movement Therapy

Movement Therapy encourages seniors to move their body and promotes physical, mental and spiritual well-being. One of the most favorable types of movement therapy is dancing, giving seniors the ability to communicate unconscious and conscious feelings through dance. Most individuals ages 60 and up often spend a lot of time in sedentary positions but, as Doctors Health Press stated, “As humans, we are designed to move, and we are not meant to sit for long periods of time.” The main focus of movement therapy is to assist individuals to become completely integrated emotionally, cognitively, physically and socially. With this in mind, it’s important to understand what movement therapy is and how it can benefit your health, here’s a few examples.

Boosted Immune Function:

The immune system’s job is to protect the body from infectious bacteria that could cause one to suffer from diseases. This extremely complex network of cells sometimes fails and allows germs to invade the body. However, as the human body ages, the immune system weakens, causing a delayed response in defending the body from getting sick. Participating in movement therapies can help boost immune system functionality by increasing the circulation of white blood cells. throughout the body.

Strong Bones:

Osteoporosis is when there is significant bone loss which increases the risk of fracture. According to NCBI, “ Osteoporosis is a major public health problem affecting the elderly population.” Staying active or exercising strengthens muscles and contributes to building strong bones. Which is why it’s extremely important for seniors to stay active. Some activities that strengthen bones are walking, dancing, yard work and step aerobics.

Protection Against Chronic Conditions:

Movement therapy is vital for helping individuals with conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s disease. According to a study done at the Association, “Physically, the rhythmic, expressive group movement seems to ameliorate the abnormal postures, spasms and twisting movements of body parts and improves balance, lessening the potential for injurious falls.” Therefore movement therapy can enhance balance, walking, and comprehension performance by using free-form movement and often dancing. By giving seniors a place that has highly interactive and engaging activities like Spring Hills Senior Communities seniors are given the opportunity to make choices which benefit their intellectual, physical, social, cultural and creative well-being.

At Spring Hills Senior Communities, we offer a full range of individualized services that promote social, physical and emotional growth. Our goal is to help seniors become as independent as possible through our holistic approach to senior care including programs, therapies and other Signature Touch programs.