In the piece, Krucoff explains that seniors, people with limited mobility, and those with health challenges, especially chronic problems, often find yoga therapy helpful—and no prior experience is needed to benefit from the practice!
Yoga therapy with seniors
Regardless of your area of concern, in a typical initial yoga therapy session you can expect a few common elements:
- Discussion of your individual health goals, as well as your health history
- Breathwork and possibly movement, during which your yoga therapist will be assessing your responses to the practices
- Personalized practice, based on the assessment and your goals and history, which could include postures, breathing techniques, visualization, mantras, meditation, and more
- Instructions (written, audio, video/visuals—depending on your preferences and on how your therapist works) for practicing at home
You can usually expect a few in-person sessions at the beginning. Then, many yoga therapy clients return occasionally for follow-up sessions to check their progress and make sure the program is still working for their needs.
“Yoga’s booming popularity has resulted in a wide array of offerings that can be confusing, intimidating and sometimes inappropriate—particularly for older adults and people with health challenges,” says Krucoff, noting that it’s therefore important to be sure your yoga therapist is experienced, well-trained, and certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She also suggests asking whether they have specialized training in working with older adults.
Learn more in Krucoff’s piece on the Duke Health & Well-Being website, and find a yoga therapist to help YOU age well.
