Dance Interventions and Fall-Related Costs in Older Adults: A Literature Review

Abstract

Falls among older adults impose substantial health and economic burdens in Canada, contributing to injury-related hospital care, reduced mobility, fear of movement, and increased long-term care needs. This literature review examines the effectiveness of dance-based interventions in reducing fall risk and, in turn, fall-related costs. A focused search strategy prioritized peer-reviewed studies, theses, and public health reports that linked dance interventions to fall outcomes, fall risk factors (e.g., balance, gait speed, strength, confidence), or economic measures; 12 sources met this inclusion criterion. Across studies, dance interventions were associated with improvements in postural control, functional balance, gait speed, and lower-limb functional capacity, outcomes closely tied to fall risk. However, evidence on falls incidence is mixed, with large-scale “social dance” formats failing to consistently reduce falls, suggesting that enjoyment alone is insufficient without adequate balance challenge and progression. Economic evidence is limited in Canada, but evaluations from England (e.g., Dance to Health) indicate structured dance-based falls prevention as cost-effective and potentially cost-saving over multiple years. Overall, this paper indicates that dance interventions can improve fall-risk factors and may yield meaningful cost savings.