LEVEL 5 (B2.

2)

1A- AGEING & HEALTH

Oral mediation
Your father tends to be a lonely person and in the last months he seems rather demotivated. As this is
worrying you, you are getting together with your siblings to find an activity for him. Share the information
from your text in order to find the hobby that would suit him best.

You have 8 minutes to read the text and 8-10 to hold the discussion.

Hip-hop dance helps Japanese seniors stay fit

Mayu Yoshida, TOKYO FROM CGTN (Adapted)

In Japan, where more than a quarter of the population are aged over 65, hip-hop dance classes have
become the latest health craze among seniors citizens.
Mayu Yoshida has more on how this type of exercise is helping the elderly stay fit in the rapidly aging
country. “You're never too old to bust a move”. That's certainly the case for this group of street
dancers in Tokyo, whose average age is 61. They call themselves the Senior Monsters. They groove,
they twerk and they also make sure to keep up with the latest social media trends.
72-year-old Shigeru Yatabe, started dancing to hip hop 10-years ago after he retired. He's now into
house moves that require a lot of footwork, but help him to stay fit. And he's not the only one
obsessed with street dance.
Shige Boh:"Six months after I started learning hip hop, I went on a show. It was a bit embarrassing at
first, but I invited my family. It was an unforgettable moment. I enjoyed being watched. It was a
feeling I had never experienced before. I love dance very much so it is very fun."
The group is one of many that's helping elderly Japanese dancers shatter stereotypes of what ageing
means in the oldest country in the world. The number of Japanese aged 65 or older expected to
reach 37 million in a decade. With fewer young and more old people, dance schools are cashing in on
this rapidly growing market.
Yoko Izuka 83-year-old hip hop dance student "I've been coming to this school for six and a half years
now.  Recently, I almost tripped over a stone. But my hand reflex was so quick, it prevented me from
falling. I think I owe this to days of learning hip hop. I can't help but be thankful to hip hop dance!"
Shiro Oba chiropractic clinic owner: "Hip-hop dance uses both the right and left sides of the body, so
it keeps people physically balanced."

Experts say more healthy and active seniors could keep them away from hospital. That could also
help Japan put a brake on its ballooning medical costs which topped US$380 billion in fiscal 2017, a
record-high. For the Senior Monsters, street dance was their solution.
 LEVEL 5 (B2.2)

1B- AGEING & HEALTH

Oral mediation
Your father tends to be a lonely person and in the last months he seems rather demotivated. As this is
worrying you, you are getting together with your siblings to find an activity for him. Share the information
from your text in order to find the hobby that would suit him best.

You have 8 minutes to read the text and 8-10 to hold the discussion.

4 Great Benefits of Art Therapy for Older Adults

In art therapy, people are guided by a

professional art therapist who helps them engage with different art forms. For older adults, creating art and
participating in art therapy can be particularly beneficial.

Some of the top benefits of art therapy for seniors are increased motor skills and coordination: Participants
focus on a single task such as painting, drawing, sculpting, or another creative project. Engaging in these light
physical activities helps to improve coordination and increases blood flow, which may improve dexterity in the
hands, wrists, and fingers. As a result, art therapy can help adults with arthritis or other joint conditions
manage inflammation and chronic pain. 

Cognitive function and stimulation: engaging in art projects challenges people to think creatively and
boosts cognitive function. The process of learning something new, such as a new art skill, helps to
stimulate healthy brain activity and keep our minds sharp. Some studies even suggest that art may
reduce the rate of development of memory conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. For seniors living
with memory loss, the process of creating art can be an avenue for communication and self-
expression.
Improved mood and mental health: Art therapy is known to lessen feelings of anxiety, depression,
and stress in people of all ages. Participants found that the calming action of putting a paintbrush or
pencil to paper helped them relax and focus on positive feelings.
Opportunities for social connection: In many cases, art therapy occurs in a social environment, which
encourages participants to socialize and facilitate communication with those around them. For older
adults who may struggle with feelings of loneliness or isolation, art therapy gives them the
opportunity to exercise their social skills and make new friends in a relaxing, casual setting.
With so many positive benefits, it’s easy to see why many retirement communities offer art classes
and art therapy programs to help seniors experience an improved quality of life and enjoy the fun
and freedom of creating.
 LEVEL 5 (B2.2)

1C- AGEING & HEALTH

Oral mediation
Your father tends to be a lonely person and in the last months he seems rather demotivated. As this is
worrying you, you are getting together with your siblings to find an activity for him. Share the information
from your text in order to find the hobby that would suit him best.

You have 8 minutes to read the text and 8-10 to hold the discussion.

Theater Arts for Older Adults

By Roscoe Nicholson ( Adapted)

A recent review in The Gerontologist surveyed 77 published studies on theater participation and
summarized their findings.
The first main area reviewed was theater’s impact on health and well-being. Here, studies have
shown decreased anxiety and loneliness, increased sense of value and purpose, and other emotional
benefits including fun, happiness, and a sense a freeing of the imagination. Cognitive benefits include
improvements in memory, word generation, and comprehension and problem solving.
Another major area explored was the role of theater in enhancing or transforming group
relationships. This includes intergenerational relationships, relationships between individuals from
different racial and cultural backgrounds, and relationships between individuals at varying levels of
care and their peers, caregivers, and families. The authors write that, “Dramatic role play and
devising appear to be particularly effective in of producing a safe space for expressing and
challenging age-related stereotypes and finding commonalities and accepting differences.”
Another value of theater identified in this review is the opportunity for learning and creativity. This is
likely implicated in the cognitive benefits noted above, but the researchers note that “through taking
on and meeting challenges, older people gain a sense of achievement, enrichment and fulfillment.”
They note that this not only impacts older adults’ lives, but has a potential wider social impact of
challenging ageist stereotypes.
Lastly, the review discusses the cultural value provided by older adults’ performances. The authors
suggest that research should not just focus on theater’s benefits for older adults, but also on the
esthetic experience of the audience. This has been little studied to date and deserves more attention.