It's a Thursday afternoon at the Oconee County Senior Center in Watkinsville, and the most popular class of the day is just starting to begin. Yoga mats are on the floor as the most popular yoga session in Oconee County is set to begin.
Three years ago, two yoga instructors approached the center interested in offering yoga classes to the elderly of Oconee County. Since then, the beginner and advanced yoga classes have been the most popular offerings at the center, trumping cooking classes and the ballroom dancing classes.
Margaret Farr, a staff member at the Senior Center, says that she has noticed a real difference in people's health since the center added yoga classes. She says that one local resident cured her chronic hip pain after three weeks of regular yoga. Keeping seniors activity has been a challenge for the Oconee County Senior Center, but it seems that yoga has been a bit of a magic bullet. The importance of staying active as you age cannot be overstated, and the national Senior Fitness Association has a list of the benefits of yoga for seniors here, as well a series of poses that are specially tailored for aging bodies.
But aside from the direct physical benefits of regular activity, regular group yoga sessions also offer a much needed community connection. Depression and isolation can target the elderly as they age, especially if they lose connection with their family and friends, Farr said. She also said that when they make connections with those around them more freely, elderly residents take better care of them and show a higher sense of self regard.
It's easy to forget that our psyches as well as our bodies change as we get older, and that we should pay attention and take care of our mental and emotional health as well. After all, if the teachings of yoga are truly correct, then our bodies and psyches are permanently connected, and changes in one truly affect the other.
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I'm curious how someone who is elderly (an elder?) would explain the effect on their "psyches." It's always interesting to me the language people us to describe such concepts, with there being so many cultural and generational nuances surrounding mental health.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the baby-boomers are old now, right? That may be interesting to explore. . .
Some of us baby-boomers think of ourselves as the "young old," thank you very much. I would have enjoyed seeing some photos of the class, and hearing more about it in the participants' own words. I'll bet the word "mood" would turn up more often than "psyche."
ReplyDeleteThe senior center yoga classes are sooooo fun. The people who go aren't so much "old," they just happen to be senior citizen age. I think the idea of getting out and doing something active with other people would have a positive impact on people's moods, but I also don't think people who are inclined to go to yoga classes at the senior center are ones that would otherwise be holed up in their houses. I'm definitely generalizing and making an assumption, but just my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting. If Oconee has a large elderly population, other exercise programs for that demographic may exist (like water aerobics, tai chi etc).
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you mention Tai Chi, James. It does exist but compared to yoga, has dwindling attendance numbers. I think you're dead on Anna when you say that the people who tend to go out and do the yoga are also the people who lead more active lifestyles in general.
ReplyDelete