Yoga and the Elderly

“It is a privilege to grow old and something which is denied to many”

There is a lot of truth and food for thought in those words. Some people will age gracefully, whilst others will truly become ‘Mr or Mrs Grump’. For the elderly the challenges come in a body that does not flex or bend and a mind that battles with change. Yoga and the elderly can slow this whole process and in many cases arrest the mental decline completely.
There are basic principles in life and by opening up to them our ‘Golden Oldies’ should be able to sidestep the real and sometimes frightening stages of aging, such as unhappiness or depression, isolation, ill-health or even financial security.

These are very important issues for people in their 60’s, 70’s or 80’s and should be given adequate thought sooner rather than later

A few thoughts on aging:

•  Never say ‘I am old or ‘too old” – There are actually 3 ages i.e. chronological, biological and psychological. The first being determined by our date of birth, the second is in relation to one’s health and the third is how old you feel you are. This of course begs the question “How old would you be, if you didn’t know your age?” That’s such a fun question and I’m sure the answers would be as varied as the people reading this article.
•  Wealth is comparative to health – Taking good care of yourself relieves the ‘burden’ or strain of children or other family members having to do this. Your health at this stage of your life should be your top priority along with good medical care and adequate health insurance.
• Time is beyond priceless – Practice becoming present in the moment, yesterday is gone and tomorrow is never promised. Forgive those who have saddened your soul.  Enjoy each day, the here and now and all that it has to offer.

Find pleasure in a warm cup of tea, a boundless and radiant sunrise, a mysterious moon, the innocent smile of a child, perhaps the gaze from your loved one eyes or the faithful pet who sits lovingly at your feet.

• Change – Don’t try to fight it, it is inevitable and the best way to interact with it is to simply embrace it. Remember the trees which withstand the most ferocious storms are the ones that can bend and sway.
• Acceptance – Forgive, set yourself free from debilitating thoughts about others, hanging onto any kind of poisonous  thoughts will not only make your day a gloomy one, but will slowly poison your body as well. “It is what it is” as they say.
• Overcome the fear of death – It is the one thing we all have to do alone, much like when you entered this world. You were able to make your entrance and so to you will be able to make your departure, to a world unknown but possibly remembered. Find peace of mind with this thought so that your loved ones can as well. It’s nothing more than stepping into another room and a new experience. Leaving a loving and kind presence for those who meant so very much to you may well be your life’s greatest achievement, one’s life being largely remembered by the lessons you taught. Hopefully your legacy will be one of love, kindness and a childlike joy of simply being alive, which will bring a loving smile in memory of you to those you loved.

That said, it is clear that both a healthy body and mind is paramount to a graceful and meaningful aging process. There is no doubt that there is place for Yoga and the Elderly together

How can Yoga can help with ageing?

There is a very interesting and famous concept in Yoga philosophy: a person’s age is determined by the flexibility of his spine, not the number of years he has lived.

Some of the factors which speed up the ageing process for many people are misuse/abuse of the body (e.g., excessive alcohol consumption or drugs); poor posture in general, sedentary lifestyle, non-nutritional food, an agitated mind and so on.

We can be very grateful that our body has the enormous capacity to renew and/or regenerate at cellular level. Provided it is treated with the respect it deserves  Yoga assists here as it is a complete system of well-being addressing body, mind and spirit, all of which are crucial to a healthy and balanced lifestyle, no matter what age the practitioner is.

Since the elderly often display a number of ailments such as osteoarthritis, chronic pain, high blood pressure, insomnia to name but a few, trying to stay strong, healthy and active is a formidable challenge for many.

A modified Yoga practice would be a great place to start, advancing perhaps as one makes progress to a more demanding style, but always being aware of any possible health or age related limitations.’ Lyengar’, ‘Restorative’ of even’ Chair Yoga’ all bear looking at, depending upon health and individual ailments or disabilities.

Yoga is low-impact, gentle on the joints and has a low-injury rate.

It stretches and vastly improves range of motion and balance, this is particularly of benefit in the prevention of falls, as this is a real risk amongst the elderly with falls often resulting in serious consequences.

The elderly and frail who feel anxious and alone often report sleeplessness or in severe cases full blown insomnia; correct breathing and the wonderful relaxation techniques taught in Yoga assist here by calming both the body and ‘racing’ mind , transforming it into one of peace and stillness which in turn translates into much improved duration and quality of sleep.

Over and above these benefits is that for the elderly in particular that Yoga can bring about a new social outlet by decreasing social isolation, giving them a very welcome ‘sense of belonging’ and something to look forward  to in sometimes very empty weekly calendars.

New friends new ideas, concepts and practices, a healthier body, a really ‘enlightened’ way of confronting both the challenges and pleasures of this particular stage of ‘The Journey of Life’ – give it a try – you have nothing to lose and so much to gain.