Music and Movement for Health: a feasibility trial of a music and dance programme for the health and wellbeing of community-based older adults

INTERVENTION: The music and movement for health programme is a community‐based music and dance programme delivered by a dance teacher and music therapist over 12 weeks. Participants allocated to the intervention group will take part in a supervised 90‐minute session each week over the course of 12 weeks and includes a warm‐up, music, singing and dance, creative response, followed by a cool‐down a social tea and chat where participants will be encouraged to ask questions, provide feedback, and will be facilitated by Behavioural Change Techniques (BCTs) to incorporate music and dance into daily activity (French, Olander, Chisholm, & Mc Sharry, 2014). A customised playlist will be developed in conjunction with the programme to facilitate participation in a home music and movement programme, whereby participants will be asked to perform the home programme (3 x 20 minutes) each week. Home programme completion will be monitored using a daily log. All participants will be advised to report any adverse effects and safety will be monitored during the sessions. The control group will be a true control comparison group of participants. They will not participate in an intervention but will be asked to keep a falls diary for the duration of the 12 control weeks. The control group will be offered the chance to participate in the music and movement for health programme at the end of data collection if they desire. Participants will be asked to continue with any usual concomitant care and advised not to take up any new physical activity that includes dancing and/or music, which could have a confounding effect on the outcomes of the trial. Randomisation: People will be recruited from six geographical regions (clusters) in three counties. The clusters CONDITION: Health and wellbeing of older adults ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Recruitment rates assessed by reporting the number of participants recruited per cluster per month; 2. Retention assessed as the proportion of individuals who after enrolment completed the baseline and follow‐up assessments. The researchers will calculate the minimum outcome assessment target, which is set at a retention rate of at least 80% of recruited participants with valid baseline and 12‐week primary outcome data; 3. Attendance at supervised sessions recorded as the percentage of participants that attend the supervised sessions. The minimum average attendance target will be set as 65%; 4. Participation in the home music and dance programme recorded by self‐report diary collected each week during the 12‐week intervention; 5. Safety assessed through self‐report of direct or unrelated adverse events (e.g., falls or pain during the programme period). A weekly falls log will be completed; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Community‐dwelling older adults 65 years of age and older 2. Ability to walk 3 metres with or without an assistive device 3. Have a basic level of English literacy or an identified person who can translate English to their first language 4. Ability to hear and follow instructions SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; Assessed at baseline and at follow‐up after the 12‐week intervention in the intervention group and at baseline and at follow‐up after the 12‐week control period in the control group:; ; Physical performance measures:; 1. Functional mobility and balance assessed using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG); 2. Dual task performance assessed using TUG‐Cognitive (Dual Task Ability); 3. Lower leg strength and endurance assessed using the 30‐second chair stand test (30CST); 4. Static balance assessed using the single leg stance test; 5. Lower extremity functioning, including gait speed and balance assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); ; Self‐report physical activity:; 1. Low, basic and high‐intensity physical activities assessed using the incidental and planned exercise questionnaire (IPEQ); ; Loneliness and Social Isolation:; 1. Loneliness measured using a modified version of the University of California‐Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale; 2. Social isolation measured using the Berkman‐Syme Social Network Index (SNI); ; Cognition:; 1. Visual search, scanning, speed of processing, mental flexibility, and executive functions measured using the Trail Making Test (TMT); ; Quality of life, wellbeing and mood:; 1. Health‐related quality of life measured using EQ‐5D‐5L; 2. Attachment, security, role, enjoyment and independence measured using the ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people (ICECAP‐O); 3. Mood measured using the 5‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS‐5);