@article{ref1,
title="Adapted tango improves mobility, motor-cognitive function, and gait but not cognition in older adults in independent living",
journal="Journal of the American Geriatrics Society",
year="2015",
author="Hackney, Madeleine E. and Byers, Colleen and Butler, Gail and Sweeney, Morgan and Rossbach, Lauren and Bozzorg, Aaron",
volume="63",
number="10",
pages="2105-2113",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of adapted tango for improving mobility, motor-cognitive function, and gait; to determine whether former dance experience was associated with improvements; and to evaluate participant satisfaction, changes in depression, and quality of life. <br><br>DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, two-group, repeated-measures preintervention, postintervention, and 3-month postintervention study. SETTING: Diverse senior independent living communities in an urban metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 59 to 95 (73% aged 80 and older; 31% nonwhite, 72% female) (N = 74). INTERVENTION: Participants were assigned to 20 sessions of 90-minute tango (n = 62) or health education (n = 12) classes over 12 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Mobility, motor-cognitive function, gait, cognition, and psychosocial function were evaluated before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention. Two (groups) by two (before and after) repeated-measures analyses of variance with post hoc comparisons were used to evaluate differences in primary analyses. Secondary analyses from immediately after to 3 months after were used to examine the data for retention of any gains. <br><br>RESULTS: Forty-four tango and 10 education participants completed 20 sessions. Significant group by time interactions revealed that tango improved mobility (P =.006), backward and fast gait speeds (P <.001), and motor-cognitive function (P =.03). Education improved depression (P =.001). No relationship was noted between previous dance experience and improvements. Gains were maintained 3 months after the intervention. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Adapted tango may improve mobility, gait and motor-cognitive function more than health education classes in older adults. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-8614",
doi="10.1111/jgs.13650",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13650"
}