Dancing Hearts: A full dance card for seniors
An innovative dance program that gets elders with dementia on their feet is enriching their lives and offering health benefits.
Jim Gogolakis and staffer Janea Shavers enjoyed the moment during a Kairos Dance Theatre program at the Cerenity Care Center in St. Paul.
Cajun music cracks the air and Effie Calhoun laughs aloud. She pushes slowly from her chair, steps into the circle of elders at Dancing Heart program and starts to dance.
At age 84, Calhoun doesn't remember the year, her life as a cook -- or even that the "nice lady" who struggles to care for her in their St. Paul apartment is her granddaughter.
But when the old men and women with dementia start to sing, dance and create poetry at the Wilder Adult Day Health Memory Loss Program, the healing begins.
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