Should Your Parent Try Yoga?
Exercise is an important part of staying healthy. People of all ages need to exercise to keep their bodies strong and to help maintain a healthy weight. Even if your elderly parent has not exercised in years, it’s not too late to start. The trick is to find a form of exercise that is enjoyable for your parent and that they can stick with. It’s also important for the exercise to be gentle enough that it doesn’t hurt. One kind of exercise that many experts recommend for older adults is yoga.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a form of exercise that combines mindful breathing with physical poses that improve strength and flexibility. It has been around for centuries, which means that despite its current popularity, yoga is not a fad. Instead, it is a form of exercise that is proven to work.
There are many kinds of yoga, from the more physical Hatha yoga to quieter, more meditative forms. Yoga is also an adaptable kind of exercise, so anyone can do yoga, no matter their physical abilities. In fact, there are yoga classes specifically for older adults and for those confined to wheelchairs.
What Are the Benefits of Yoga?
The benefits of yoga encompass both physical and mental aspects of life. In terms of physical benefits, practicing yoga on a regular basis will improve your parent’s muscle strength and joint flexibility. It can also help them to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, which has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease.
People who practice yoga also report feeling better about the way their body looks and works. In part, this is because yoga asks people to focus on what their body can do and the way it is working in the moment. Yoga studios purposely avoid the use of mirrors because the focus is meant to be inward rather than on what the person looks like while they do yoga or what the people around them look like.
Yoga is also an excellent way for seniors to manage stress. Yoga has been shown to improve how people cope with stress. The use of mindful breathing and meditation help to create a sense of calm that lasts beyond classes.
If your parent is interested in trying yoga, a home care provider can help them to find a class in their community. In addition, the home care provider can drive them to the class, ensuring they are able to attend regularly. If your parent is unable to find a class or would prefer to try yoga at home, a home care provider can help them to find videos online or take them to the library where they may be able to check out yoga videos.
Sources
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat
https://www.verywellfit.com/yoga-for-seniors-3566737
If you are considering home care in Buckeye, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.