The Southern Health Board has appointed a full-time dance facilitator, the first such post in Ireland, to help older people to dance their way to health.
The two-year pilot programme is being run in conjunction with the Institute of Choreography and Dance at the Firkin Crane Centre in Cork, and operates on the premise that dance can be fun and health promoting at the same time.
The SHB's health promotions manager, Ms Catherine Murphy, says the dance facilitator, Ms Jo Nicholls, will work with health care professionals to develop safe and appropriate dance for older people. The programme, which began five years ago, has been accredited by the Further Education and Training Awards Council and is being watched closely by international agencies involved in health promotion. It all sounds formal, but according to Ms Murphy, the older people love to dance, love the social interaction which the programme provides, and are only too keen to boogie.
Ultimately, there will be dance programmes tailored specifically for the elderly throughout Cork and Kerry.
"The programme highlights the physical, mental and social benefits of dance for the elderly."