Our age might change but some of us never get old at heart.
These are the folks that enjoy life no matter what their age.
And what better way to enjoy life than to celebrate it through dance.
Despite being 100-years-old Kathleen Kavanagh of Dublin, Ireland is still dancing.
And that’s a great thing because experts say that dancing does wonders for senior citizens.
“Dancing is great exercise for the muscles and the heart, and it also involves a heavy cognitive demand,” psychiatrist Heidi Rosetti, Ph.D, tells UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Not only does dance exercise the body but it exercises the mind since seniors who dance regularly must memorize movements and routines, as well as react to their partners’ movements.
“Dance, like any form of exercise, benefits seniors in many ways. Regular physical, mental, and social stimulation is the gold standard recommendation for reducing the risk of dementia. Because it involves all three, dancing can be seen as a ‘triple-threat’ option for older adults who want to protect their brains,” Rosetti explains.
Posted by Western Michigan University onMonday, April 3, 2017
According to AgingCare, dancing helps to minimize symptoms of depression, improves strength and balance, reduces joint pain and stiffness, protects your heart, and defends against dementia.
Music is also something that sets dance apart as a great practice for seniors.
“Part of what makes dancing unique from other forms of exercise is the addition of music. Musical rhythms stimulate certain areas of the brain often known as our ‘rewards centers.'”
“These regions are associated with the chemical dopamine, which affects happiness and well-being as well as movement and thinking. Dancing also stimulates the motor and sensory circuits in the brain. These benefits combined offer older adults a unique brain activation they might not get from the gym.”
Kavanagh immediately started tapping her toes when she started to hear some music play on her 100th birthday.
And that music came courtesy of Garda Mark of the Garda Band and Garda Shane, Community Policing Cabra Garda Station.
“Garda” or “GardÔ is a member of the national police service for the Republic of Ireland or the “Garda Siochana” which means “guardian of the peace.”
Garda Mark decided to bust out his saxophone to help Kathleen celebrate her birthday.
Kathleen immediately starts shuffling her feet around back and forth dressed beautifully in a peach-colored blazer as “Jolly Good Fellow” plays on the sax.
She’s clapping her hands and having a good old time. This woman was happy to celebrate her love for life and getting to live another year.
This guardian of the peace was more than happy to bring a little joy to this centenarian.
I mean, if you live that long, the very least you should get is someone playing you some sweet saxophone.
There were thousands of people across the internet who were happy to see that Kathleen still has the moves.
And that she is willing to share them with the world. Check out this happy scene in the video below.
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