Dance/Movement Therapy & Dementia

"Dance/movement therapy is primarily about forging a healing relationship where movement and dance are the media, just as words are the medium in verbal psychotherapy... We pay honor when we dance with {people with dementia], when we relate to them in an embodied way, when we attempt to understand their nonverbal communication. When we dance with them, we invite them to be in their bodies, to savor the sensations and experience of vitality, now, in their last days, while they still have bodies."
~ Donna Newman-Bluestein

Recipient of the American Dance Therapy Association's 2013 Exceptional Service Award, Donna Newman-Bluestein, M.Ed., BC-DMT, CMA, LMHC is a board certified dance/movement therapist, certified movement analyst, licensed mental health counselor, educator, trainer, speaker, entrepreneur, and dancer. She is a senior lecturer at Lesley University and the official spokesperson for the American Dance Therapy Association.

Donna's extensive clinical experience includes dance/movement therapy (DMT) with adults with acute and chronic mental illness; adults with chronic pain, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in medical rehabilitation; older adults and people with dementia; and children, including those with physical disabilities.

As founder and owner of Dance for Connection, Donna provides direct dance and dance/movement therapy services to older adults and people with mid to late stage dementia, educates the public about the importance of dance for people with dementia, and trains caregivers to improve their nonverbal communication skills with people with dementia. To enable and empower even the most withdrawn people to be lively and interactively engaged, Donna invented, manufactures and distributes the OctabandⓇ, a multi-sensory prop which motivates participants to connect with others through the colorful, stretchy fabric.

Donna has presented hundreds of workshops nationally, focusing exclusively on older adults and people with dementia in recent years. She has co-authored articles for Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and the Journal of Dementia Care and has been awarded grants by the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, and the Marian Chace Foundation to provide training to caregivers and publish a corresponding manual: "The Dance of Interaction: An Embodied Approach to Nonverbal Communication for Caregivers of People with Dementia."

[NicoleMontanezAlicea]

I appreciate how the speaker highlighted the power of movement in helping people regain a sense of control, especially in times when they may feel helpless or disconnected. The idea that Dance Movement Therapy can foster curiosity and creativity to enhance neural activity is such an inspiring concept, especially when working with patients with dementia.

[JACKIEHAWES-ld]

Donns seems very caring and passionate about helping those with dementia. I liked how she broke down that most movements are not seen as much due to them being non-verbal movements. Those often turn into behaviors because they are not being listened to. This was eye-opening to me as a person who works with people who are often non-verbal.

[OliviaMendez-ss]

"When some people think about dementia, they think almost exclusively about what the person can't do". I love how this speaker acknowledged what people with dementia can do. I think that only viewing those with dementia as what they cannot do takes away their autonomy, and DMT gives it back.

[MICHAELKEEFE-hy]

Working in the healthcare system made me recognize the importance of nonverbal communication when working with people with Dementia. I never considered how the speaker emphasizes how difficult it can be to set boundaries when confused about the situation in front of you. I think the speaker's statement of how behaviors are viewed when having to use direct nonverbal communication was very eyeopening for me.

[miasteinhauer]

I had never fully considered how challenging it can be to set boundaries when faced with confusion or unfamiliar situations. I like that DMT can help people with Dementia do that, and regain a sense of control in their life.

[sarahbitter]

The power of DMT to connect and attune to the non-verbals of other individuals is striking. This especially helps when it comes to working with people who have dementia, so this work was really interesting to learn about.

[victoriaruiz]

Dementia is unfortunately one of the fastest growing and most impactful issues the elderly community is being faced with. She passion for this population is radiant as she want to make change to assure the coming generations do not go though all the same battles.

[taylorottley]

"If your attempts to communicate are misunderstood and thought to be symptomatic of dementia, rather than communicative, it is likely they'll be disregarded. And then you'll have to make your movements stronger, quicker, more direct, and those will be considered 'behaviors'."

DMTs like Donna tune into and show respect to the nonverbal communication, honor choice, and highlight the life of the individual, rather than the disease.

[chloedruckrey]

The speaker seems so caring and helpful to the community she works in. I've had a small amount of exposure to the elderly community with dance movement therapy but never with dyslexia. I think it would be extremely rewarding however I can only imagine the difficulty that must come with it. I enjoyed that the speaker touched on why we should work with the elderly with dymensia. It inspired me and made me want to work with this community despite the difficulty.

[EmmaBenewich]

I love how movement can help people develop a sense of control during a time when they may not feel in control.

[TrinityTompkins]

One particularly striking example was the use of familiar music combined with simple, guided movement to trigger recognition and evoke positive emotional responses. The speaker described how even individuals with advanced dementia were able to engage through rhythmic movement, smiling and making eye contact, showing a temporary but powerful connection to their past.

[AnnaRifkin]

The description of people with dementia feeling emotionally unsafe really emphasizes the importance of giving them an opportunity to feel in control. Dance movement therapy provides this outlet and I think it is an amazing therapy technique to help people with dementia.

[mallory]

Donna sets the stage for her audience to view individuals who have dementia from a strengths-based, humanistic perspective, opening the door for viewers to gain deeper understanding of living with dementia as well as learn how dance/movement therapy serves this population. I really enjoyed Donna’s energy and commitment to sharing her knowledge and wisdom with her verbal and non-verbal communication, especially in guiding her audience to identify everyday communication styles that also relate to individuals who have dementia. She clearly and personably describes the experiences of living with dementia in a very humane way, emphasizing the relationship in dance/movement therapy as a catalyst for healing, motivation, validation, and empowerment. The pictures served as wonderful visualizations of the relationship and “delightfully playful” presence of each person involved in the group. Donna also warmly affirms the individual’s need to be “seen, heard, appreciated” and respected, even if that person refuses to participate. Her passionate and honest conclusion beautifully epitomizes the essence of the talk as well as motivates the audience to reflect upon current societal norms and embrace the importance of our elders, individuals with dementia, and honoring them with tender care, respect, love, time, relationship, and dance. Thank you Donna for sharing!

[mareanewroz]

This is such an insightful talk. I appreciated the reframing and strengths-based approach Donna highlights for working with individuals with dementia. Mirroring is something often discussed in dance/movement therapy but this talk so clearly lays out the value of the approach within this community as a form of empowerment, relational affirmation, and cognitive development. The meaning and connection to societal values helped for me to contextual the purpose of working with this community and speaks to a larger need for respecting the aging process within our society.

[dianedavis]

Thank you Donna! I love how passionate you are about your work. I agree that the way we treat older individuals says a lot about our cultural values. Finding ways to increase the quality of life and care that we provide for older adults is something that still needs more focus in the U.S. The idea of dance/movement therapy building on what a person is so inspiring. It is sad to see individuals disregarded and I would love to see more opportunities for older adults to access DMT services. I love what you said in towards the end about how we pay honor when we dance with, relate to, and attempt to understand older adults with dementia. So important and I hope more people can adopt this mindset.

[angelchan]

I have worked with the elderly with dementia in an assisted living. It is highly possible that they don't remember who I am when I greet them every morning, but I resonated with Donna's ADTA talk about how to communicate a sense of safety with this population. The residents have mastered the skills in attuning to other's feelings including the staffs, the care partners, and the family members who come to visit. Through my non-verbal communication, they can easily tell that if I am an "old friend" who have been working with them every day. The way I present and use my body language, facial expression, tone and voice, and body movement naturally communicated how our relationship has been. They know that they are safe to see me and that I am here to be present and support them. Experiencing cognitive deterioration can make communication very challenging and devastating, but I believe in our ability to use our body and DMT to communicate with this adorable and lovely population. It is all about the authenticity, simplicity, and LOVE in us that affect theirs and our relationships.

[lavahead]

Donna's authenticity and deep empathy for our elders shines through in this talk. I had the privilege to interview Dr. Newman-Bluestein last year about working with individuals with dementia, and it is so clear how intentional and caring she is. In working with elders with dementia, oftentimes, caregivers talk down to them or focus, as Donna said, on what they can't do. We must remember to honor their autonomy as people. I loved how Donna said, "It is just as important to honor their refusal as any other choice."

[albertpaez]

Donna brings great awareness to a horrible illness like dementia and does a terrific job educating the public on how important dance therapy can be used to treat it. Many people with dementia are unavailable to access motivation and they need the support of others to help them get in touch to their intrinsic motivation. She explains how dance movement therapy can be used as that spark to get their motivation lifted by having dance and movement as the primary median.

[priscillacerdas]

Donna's presentation gave me grounding to a population that I am unfamiliar with. She engaged the audience with excellent imagery for the audience to embody. Although I empathized with individuals with dementia, I had never felt an ease in attuning to their needs. Providing a sensory lens for individuals experiencing dementia helped me understand the potential needs, wants, and challenges on a body level. I can see these same principles applying to individuals who have experienced trauma. I love the way she phrased that they need sensory info that is both culturally and personally relevant to invite presence.

[maryrockwood]

Thank you Donna for such an insightful, powerful, and relevant talk! Even 8 years later, we still see the continuous pattern of disregard for elders, especially with those living with dementia. I greatly appreciate the emphasis on empowerment and client-voice and choice because so often in the U.S, individuals are quick to dismiss any or all agency an elder might have simply due to the fact that the elder is elderly. I feel very inspired and re-excited about understanding the body's knowledge and movement as communication and as choice.