Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dance interventions encompass an inexpensive and engaging alternative to promote healthy ageing among older adults compared to pharmacological interventions. This study aims to refine the Community Dance Program (CDP) protocol and assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing and evaluating the program for promoting physical, cognitive, and psychosocial health of older adults. METHODS: A feasibility cluster-controlled trial was conducted, in which participants were recruited from six Active Ageing Centres located island wide in Singapore. The outcome measures were physical performance, DNA methylation, muscle oxygenation, cognition, subjective happiness, quality of life, social support and intergenerational communication. Linear Mixed Model was conducted to examine the differences between the intervention and control groups at post-intervention after adjusting the baseline values and incorporating random effects for clusters. RESULTS: A total of 54 participants completed the study. The paired t-test results showed a significantly higher quality of life (p = 0.045) and lower levels of non-accommodation for intergenerational communication (p = 0.031) among participants in the intervention group after the CDP. The control group demonstrated a lower level of respect and obligation (p = 0.023) for intergenerational communication and a higher level of Pro-inflammation (p = 0.013). Linear Mixed Model showed no significant differences between the groups. A high retention rate was achieved, with 90% (54/60) of participants completing the post-test assessment. The intervention group also showed 90% (27/30) retention specifically. CONCLUSION: These preliminary findings suggest potential benefits of the dance intervention for physical and psychosocial well-being among older adults, warranting further evaluation in larger, adequately powered randomized studies. Future research can investigate the pathways of how intergenerational dance intervention may enhance older adults' cognitive, physical, and psychosocial function over a longer term, as well as the relationships among these variables. Hence, more comprehensive and sustainable interventions can be developed for the older adults by leveraging the benefits of intergenerational engagement. This could lead to more effective strategies for promoting healthy ageing and improving the overall quality of life for older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (No: NCT05203848).