Drumming Is An Excellent Seniors Activity
Benefits of Seniors Drumming:
- Decreased anxiety and depression
- Improved joint mobility and posture
- An improvement in language ability
- Help with motor skills
- Increased energy
- Improved immunity
- Having fun, and being in the moment
- Making new social connections
- Stress relief
Drum circles are becoming popular for all age groups, even seniors.
Drumming can be performed while sitting, so people with difficulty being ambulatory can have an enjoyable and uplifting time creating music while getting in some very good exercise.
For those who are not ambulatory, this is a superior way to improve overall health, provide stress relief and improve circulation.
Rhythm positively affects the body and has healing properties.
It provides a place for the mind, body, and spirit to rejuvenate and remember.
Drumming works with…
- Senior drumming is an interactive event that allows seniors to create their own music.
- Senior Centers
- Seniors with Alzheimer’s
- Day Program
- Seniors with Dementia
- Retirement facilities
Seniors are greatly effected as they feel the vibrations of the music. They smile and laugh, hands open and close, memories return, and they often start singing and dancing.
Numerous recent studies strongly indicate that participation in activities such as ensemble drumming diminish the effects of senile dementia, and may even prevent the onset of such disorders.
Actual physical development of nerve pathways around the plaques and tangles found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients have been clinically observed in seniors who actively learn new skills.
There are many benefits to creating music in a group, and it is widely accepted by teachers, youth workers, music therapists, and health practitioners as being an effective way to encourage life skills and develop confidence and self-esteem.
The physical exercise of playing the drum is extremely beneficial, especially to the upper body.
Drum workshop’s also provide an opportunity for essential social interaction.
Most importantly is our understanding that by challenging participants to learn and play new, exciting music we are helping to create new pathways for neuro-muscular function.
Participants report improvement in general coordination, walking, speaking, sleeping, and thought process, and experience a boost in self-esteem and overall confidence.
- One of the key benefits of drumming, especially for seniors, is the mental discipline involved.
- Drumming encourages gentle body movements providing beneficial physical exercise.
- Drumming is hands-on and sensory stimulating. No learning curve. Participants can quickly get involved.
- Encourages all seniors to participate and engages them within their own comfort level.
- Special-needs equipment to reduce fatigue and offer low-resistance playing.
- A drum circle is accessible to all participants at any level of entry.
Drum circles use a variety of different instruments, including the djembe hand drum, which contributes many different sounds and opportunities within the group.
Drumming is fun and interesting, providing opportunities to connect with individuals who do not usually respond to other programs.
Just the simple act of sitting down and making music together embodies the concepts of inclusion and unity while at the same time boosting creativity and confidence.
Information on drumming benefits for mind, body and spirit used from the website: http://drumaticinnovation.com/benefits-drumming/seniors