Evaluation of the Impact of Digital Music and Movement on Care Home Staff and Resident Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Physical activity is an important strategy for improving health and quality of life among older adults living in residential care. Less is known about digital physical activity interventions, or their impact on care staff as well as residents. This paper reports on an evaluation of a 12-month scale-up and roll-out of a digital music and movement platform (danceSing Care) across all health boards in Scotland. Methods: Participation during the year of monitoring was between 56-78 care homes at any one time. An online survey incorporating validated measures was used to measure fear of falling, loneliness, and number of sit-to-stands achieved in 30 s in residents and wellbeing, stress and danceSing Care-related job satisfaction among staff at the start of the project, 6 and 12-months. Results: Analyses revealed significant improvements over time for residents’ fear of falling, loneliness, and staff wellbeing, perceived stress and job satisfaction scores. In residents who provided data at multiple times there was also some evidence of an improvement in sit-to-stands. Conclusion: This evaluation provides preliminary evidence that delivering the digital danceSing Care music and movement resources in care homes contributes to improved wellbeing metrics for care home staff and residents but should be taken with caution due to the limitations of the design. A cluster-randomised controlled trial capturing a broader range of health and wellbeing measures in staff and residents would help to confirm these indicative findings.