{"id":162,"date":"2018-03-21T04:24:13","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T04:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wutaodance.com\/givelifeadance\/?page_id=162"},"modified":"2019-07-27T07:21:49","modified_gmt":"2019-07-27T07:21:49","slug":"training","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wutaodance.com\/givelifeadance\/training\/","title":{"rendered":"Training"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Are you an Occupational Therapy Assistant,\u00a0 Recreation assistant, Physiotherapy Assistant or Activities Coordinator?<\/h1>\n

Do you wish you could do more to improve the physical health, wellbeing and quality of life for the people you care for?<\/h2>\n

Did you know that\u00a0<\/span>recent research shows that <\/span>dance is one of the best forms of exercise for older people with improvements in mood, balance, agility and quality of life?<\/span><\/p>\n

Dance has been proven to be the one of the best forms of exercise for older people with improvements in mood, balance, agility and quality of life.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Bupa in their \u2018Shall we Dance\u2019 Report said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is considerable and emerging evidence of the benefits of dance as an exercise option for older people. However, too often policy makers in Government and beyond are overlooking the contribution dance can make to the welfare of older people, often concentrating on less inclusive exercise and sports-based activities…. We believe that organisations that provide dance activities for older people in the community, in care homes and hospitals, can make a major contribution to better physical and mental wellbeing of the growing numbers of older people in the population\u201d(1).<\/em><\/p>\n

What are the benefits of Dance? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Well for starters it\u2019s FUN! It\u2019s also an enjoyable social activity. It encourages conversations and lifts the energy of everyone participating. In addition, dancing always involves music which is one of life\u2019s most precious gifts.<\/p>\n

Studies have shown that dance based activities can improve an older person\u2019s aerobic power; muscle endurance; muscle strength; flexibility; static balance; dynamic balance and agility; gait speed and reduce the rate of falls. (2)<\/p>\n

Hello! My name is Michelle Locke, I’m the founder of Wu Tao and a Registered Nurse.\u00a0As a nurse who’s worked in the aged care environment, <\/span>I understand the importance of providing programs and interventions that improve the physical, mental and spiritual health and quality of life for the people we care for.<\/span>\u00a0 That’s why I’ve developed this specialised Stretch Dance Relax program for people who may be experiencing physical challenges, cognitive impairment, dementia and other symptoms associated with ageing or disability.<\/p>\n

The Stretch Dance Relax program is an easy to implement, non-pharmacological intervention that improves quality of life in older people and is particularly useful for people suffering the symptoms of dementia. A Stretch Dance Relax session consists of easy warm-up exercises, self directed massage, gentle dance movements and relaxing meditations. As a psycho-social intervention the Wu Tao Stretch Dance Relax program brings laughter, joy and fun to residents and their carers. Therapeutically, it improves physical and mental health, improves sleep and induces relaxation.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTake a moment and imagine a group of your favourite clients. They\u2019ve had a long week of sitting around. They\u2019re dealing with their on-going health issues, missing family and looking a bit low. You bring them together and guide them through a gentle dance process to beautiful music that gets them smiling and laughing in 5 minutes! They swing their arms around, dance the cobwebs out of their bodies and deep breathe like there was no tomorrow. 40 minutes later they are sitting quietly, peaceful expressions on their faces, as they listen to your guided relaxing meditation. When they open their eyes they are beaming with gratitude and warmth.They are so grateful for the opportunity to share this place of joy and fun with you! You can see it in their eyes…..They are happy and relaxed again\u201d.<\/p>\n

This is what happens in a Stretch Dance Relax session. In a group session it\u2019s a fun way to reduce stress for both residents and carers. It improves relationships and connection between people and generally increases levels of happiness and well-being within a group.<\/p>\n

The program can also be used very effectively with individual clients. It\u2019s particularly useful as a therapeutic intervention with clients who may be displaying agitation and anxiety. Significant improvement has been observed in many clients exhibiting difficult behaviours such as wandering, yelling, anxiety and aggression.<\/p>\n

Stretch Dance Relax Certified Training Course<\/h2>\n

What\u2019s involved?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The training to become a Stretch Dance Relax facilitator can be completed online or by attending a 2 day training program. It ensures you have all the practical and theoretical skills to effectively deliver a Stretch Dance Relax program to your clients individually and in a group environment.<\/p>\n

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Course Content<\/strong><\/p>\n