Music, movement and smiles: Glenholme pilots inclusive Chair Dance sessions in care homes
Care home residents at Holdingham Grange, Sleaford have been getting moving to music as part of a new wellbeing pilot designed to boost mood, engagement and enjoyment.
The pilot, delivered at the end of 2025, brought together Daily Sparkle, the UK’s leading wellbeing platform for older people and people living with dementia, and Synergy Dance, the award-winning inclusive dance company featured on Strictly Come Dancing and Comic Relief.
The Chair Dance sessions were created for residents with limited mobility, allowing everyone to take part while seated. The aim was simple: to bring the joy of music and movement into everyday life, while supporting wellbeing, social connection and cognitive engagement.
The response was immediate, say Glenholme, the company running the care home. Residents at Holdingham Grange, and another home in Blackpool, took part enthusiastically, enjoying the fun and social nature of the sessions. Care teams reported increased energy and engagement during and after the activities, with noticeable improvements in mood. The sessions were successfully adapted to suit residents of all mobility levels.
Following the success of the pilot, Daily Sparkle and Synergy Dance have now launched an official partnership, expanding access to inclusive movement activities for care home residents.
David Nefs, Managing Director of Daily Sparkle, said: “We’re excited to keep expanding the content on Daily Sparkle, guided by what our members tell us works best. Synergy Dance’s chair-based sessions are a fun, inclusive way to boost wellbeing and bring music and movement into the care settings we support.”
As part of the partnership, 10 new videos have been created for care homes, including five Chair Dance sessions and five Yoga and Fitness sessions, with more content planned. From February 2026, the videos will be available on the Daily Sparkle platform and rolled out across all Glenholme homes.