By, Jack E. Thomas, Ph.D.,HSPP, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Health Service Provider in Psychology
I taught the flagship Community Psychology course to graduate students at Martin University for three decades. The Community graduate course was required for all master’s students. The discipline of Community Psychology focuses on broad system change employing environmental interventions to reduce the incidence of disease or maladaptation. Additionally the focus is to keep healthy people healthy and functioning optimally. Community Psychology focuses on eliminating risk factors and increasing the number and strength of protective factors individuals and groups experience. Each semester my students designed prevention programs to tackle social problems such as school dropout, alcohol addiction or juvenile delinquency. Populations particularly at risk for disorders include young people, people living in poverty, single parents and senior citizens. Senior citizens no matter how fulfilling their working lives and no matter how wonderful their early social support face new challenges as they cope with aging and retirement. This developmental period is potentially full of pitfalls and unfortunately the early years of life may not have prepared them to solve. Luckily, there are avenues and programs to address continued learning and programs to insure great social support for seniors. One such avenue that has reached popularity is senior line dance groups. There are thousands of such activity programs across the country. Senior Programs are coordinated through municipal parks and recreation departments across the United States. Indianapolis provide facilities for seniors)and many such community programs in the Indianapolis area. Who doesn’t love dancing? Not Ballroom dancing as such but accessible dancing with others that is fortunate to have many senior dance programs. These programs promotes healthy movement, muscle strength, bone health and flexibility. However, fun, lively music and sharing good times keep seniors coming back often weekly. One can make new and wonderful social connections as well. Often, friendships are formed that can last a lifetime.
“Senior dance programs combat social isolation, cognitive decline, and improves physical challenges like balance, strength, and flexibility. Because it is fun and adaptable, it promotes healthy aging by combining physical exercise, music, and emotional release in a supportive group setting”
Stay tuned at anyonecanachieve.com. I will post completed interviews with several line dance participants who enjoy weekly line dancing in Indy. The interview questions are shown below.
- Your full name
- Tell what vocation you had prior to retirement.
- How did you learn about senior line dance groups?
- What was the first group you attended and what was your reaction to that first encounter?
- How often do you line dance?
- How would you describe the atmosphere and settings where line dance occurs?
- How does line dance benefit your life on a personal level?
- Have you had occasion to recommend line dance to other seniors.
- Any other comments you’d like to share?
If you are an urban line dancer in Indy, I’d love to share your comments with our website visitors. Your insights and commitment to good health practices inspires others young and older. Upon answering the 9 questions, please email your responses to drjackthomas@anyonecanachieve.com.
Thank you for completing this interview.
Google search reveals:
Senior Line Dance Programs:
Sassy Seniors Fun and Fitness
Young at Heart Senior Line Dancers
(Washington Park Family Center)
Heritage Place of Indianapolis
Young at Heart Senior Line Dance
Senior Line Dance at Frederick Douglass
Let’z Get It Poppin” Line Dance Crew is an active Indianapolis-based dance group led by Lezlie Grady
Finally, Dancing is fun, energetic, freedom and a soulful celebration of life for our young and those young at heart.