Senior Yoga

One of our areas of focus is Senior health and wellness through gentle Chair Yoga classes. The yoga postures are adapted to be suitable for the chair. The group classes are specifically designed to improve lung capacity through breathing techniques, flexibility of joints, muscle strength and stamina, posture as well as general balance to remove the fear of falling. There is a short segment of cardio workout too. And of course, as we educate and help seniors, a key element in the mix is to HAVE FUN!

Traditional yoga on the mat originated in India thousands of years ago and the techniques were practiced by the ancients as a way to keep mind and body healthy and happy. More recently, in the last century, Yoga came to the West and has become popular in gyms and yoga studios. Chair Yoga has also gained momentum over the years for people who cannot get to the mat due to illness or physical limitations or perhaps need a break in the office as a way to keep fit.

In 2008, Anita Rangaswami started teaching Chair yoga and Pranayama breathing techniques to her mother Malathi, who had several ailments including asthma and spondulosis. Her history of asthma for over 30 years coupled with early Alzheimers disease made it a challenge to teach her basic breathing patterns. But over a period of time, with a consistent chair yoga routine of deep breathing and adapted postures, Malathi was able to learn to breathe through her nose and strengthen her arms as well. The impetus for sharing these techniques in the senior community came as Anita saw the benefits of a change in attitude, increased confidence, and general happiness in her mother. She developed a routine of breathing techniques followed by highly modified yoga postures and started taking her mother to various Senior Centers, where she shared the techniques.

She has been conducting chair yoga classes for seniors at various Independent Living, Assisted Living and Dementia Care Centers for the last 3 years and the seniors simply love the classes! They look forward to each class, and make it a point to attend. Sometimes they are gently reminded by the caregivers, or brought to class in their wheelchairs.

Anita is very caring and compassionate and the class is conducted with utmost importance to safety of the seniors. They look forward to being in the class… and Anita makes it a point to know every student in the class by name! The class size ranges anywhere from 5 to 25 depending on the size of the facility and the interest level of the residents.

Who can attend? Anyone who wants to keep themselves happy and healthy, and enjoy an hour of camaraderie with their peers is welcome to attend. Participant age ranges from late fifties to late ninety’s. Her oldest senior in one of the classes is 95 – she is full of energy and enthusiasm and attends class every week! Seniors do not have to be able to do all the exercises – they can participate by doing as much as they can and sometimes they can sit and watch. Seniors in wheelchairs are always welcome to participate!