Perceived stress levels in older adults with financial strain are diminished after theater practice

Abstract

Background: Participating in theater has been shown to be useful for reducing cognitive decline in older adults. This study focused on the social inclusion aspect of the performing arts and aimed to examine whether participation in the theater could help prevent dementia in older adults who are vulnerable to social exclusion. Methods: Our participants were 371 community-dwelling older adults who belonged to the Gold Arts Club organized by the Saitama Arts Theatre. The change in perceived stress levels after a month and a half of theater practice were compared between older adults with and without financial strain. Results: It was revealed that older adults with financial strain had a significantly greater reduction in perceived stress levels than those without financial strain after a month and a half of theater practice. Conclusions: Since stress is one of the risk factors for cognitive decline, the results of this study suggest that participation in theater may be an effective way of reducing cognitive decline associated with dementia in the older people who feel strained financially.