Who
Hello, my name is Beth Amine and I’ve developed a fun dance fitness program for Seniors with early memory loss, Alzheimer’s and dementia. It was created from 40 years of teaching dance movement to every age and body type. I call it Joyous
Movement.
Why
According to the Alzheimer's Association, in 2014 an estimated 5.2 million Americans have Alzheimer's, which is also the 6th leading cause of death in the US. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia.
We can make a difference in this devastating trend!
With both dementia and Alzheimer's, the brain's nerve cells, called neurons, are damaged and begin to die. Dance has been
scientifically proven in many new studies to be the number one most effective way to both prevent memory loss and create new neural pathways. I’ve seen amazing and gratifying results in the individuals I work with.
What
I’m here today to ask your support in funding the filming of these joyous, effective systems. This would expand their reach so they can be used by loved ones, family members and health care professionals to greatly improve the quality of
life of both the individuals with memory loss and their caregivers.
Through my many years of teaching dance movement, I have watched and learned how to access anyone’s innate joy through the body in the simplest of ways. Although I work with all seniors, my focus here is those with early memory loss as well as more advanced
Alzheimer’s and Dementia. With Joyous Movement, I’ve had amazing results in the improvement of the physical, mental and spiritual well being of this growing population.
If you have an aging parent, family member, client or loved one that has been touched by any of these conditions, and desire to provide a better quality of life for them and their caregivers, then this joyful program is for you.
Scientific research says that exercise is the most important thing you can do to combat the negative effects of aging. In a 21 year study of seniors 75 and over, dance was proved by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City to be 76% more
effective than any other recreational activity to improve cognitive abilities! It can can both regress the progression of Alzheimer’s as well as create new neural pathways. The simple fun methods of
Joyous Movement are designed as a trip around the world in music and dance and include familiar music from the participants era as well as world music.
Using the universal language of touch through the hands and connection through the eyes, and by creating a safe loving atmosphere, every individual is awakened to his or her innate sense of self at whatever level of functioning they have.
Blood pressure can be lowered and legs and upper body strengthened. Balance, flexibility, cardiovascular health and oxygenation are also increased. But most importantly the individual shifts into a state of joy and connection. Those who are not ordinarily
reached will move or sing to familiar music. This is accessible to everyone. In Joyous Movement, we bypass the mind, its problems and sense of limitations, and move through fun to our joyous essence.
There are an estimated 78 million baby boomers. As the baby boomer generation ages, approximately 5 percent, or 3.9 million are expected to head for nursing facilities. Today, a senior citizen (65+) has about a one-in-four chance of spending time in a nursing
home (skilled care facility). Programs for prevention and care will be needed to meet for this coming wave of senior population. Personally I can only reach about 100 individuals a week here in Santa Barbara. Through certified training programs
and videos, these classes can be offered though activity directors and staff in facilities across he world. Your support in filming these innovative techniques will allow them to be available to the many millions who can benefit.
The second video in the link below has a bit of footage on the Joyous Movement class structure. The participants really get their groove on!
Here are a couple of testimonials about the class:
From Jill McRae Hyers, Director of Activities at Maravilla Senior Living Community
I'm so proud of Beth Amine, who has revolutionized how seniors move and groove in Santa Barbara! They literally get "well"
right before our eyes; their stability, circulation, mental acuity, and flexibility increases, as their aches and melancholy decrease! Dance is Life! Thank you Beth for wanting to bring this healing art to many more!
From Friendship Center, an Adult Daycare for Individuals with Alzheimer's and Dementia
"It is a sunny day in beautiful southern California. Lunch has ended at the only day program in Santa Barbara County for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. A group of 35 seniors sit quietly, seated in a circle in a large room. The members,
as they’re called at this lovely place by the sea, are in worlds accessible to few and none. Then Beth Amine arrives, and it’s something magical.
Dozy eyes are suddenly bright with anticipation, following her every movement. Beth Amine ignites on the dance floor and everyone catches the joyful fire. The members feel the music up through feet that feel heavy, bodies they’ve lost contact with, and
minds that have betrayed them.
In a systematic program of awakening, she greets each individual while playing a familiar song from their era. Beth then leads the group through a thorough warm up, designed to open the breath and chest, oxygenate the body and put rhythm in sleepy legs. They
clap, and sing to familiar songs. Those who do not speak mouth the words and remember. Soon those who can stand are moving about the room. Beth brings colorful props and sequences the music to build engagement and go on a journey. Hands are held, providing
connection and social contact. And the laughter! Yes, there’s a lot of that.
It’s an hour -- an hour! -- of Beth and her magic, and it’s what the doctor ordered. Limbs are warmed and loosened. Skin is aglow. Beth connects it all -- the physical, the mental, and the spiritual -- through an amazing presentation of music and movement,
lovingly designed for our special program. We are grateful beyond words. And moods are improved for the rest of the day! (And we, too, get to join in on the fun!)"
A Quote by Beth Amine, Creator of Joyous Movement
“Movement to music is innately human, and bypasses the mind and what it thinks is possible. It opens and creates new neural pathways. Dance combines motor skills and improvisation as it creates flexibility and strength. But the most rewarding part is the
emotional component. Joy and connection are all to be found here.”
If you are moved by this and wish to share it with others, please use this link:
http://startsomegood.com/joyousmovement
Additional contact information:
Our Joyous Movement website is
www.joyous-movement.com
To learn more about Beth, her personal site is
www.bethamine.com .
To find us on facebook, go to
https://www.facebook.com/#!/JoyousMovement or
https://www.facebook.com/#!/beth.amine
