Enjoying the Benefits of Yoga with Your Loved One
May 27, 2016
Elderly Care in Monroeville PA
Staying active is an extremely important part of maintaining health and wellbeing. While there are many ways that your parent can enhance their elderly care journey with activity, one exercise that has dramatically increased in popularity among aging adults in recent years is yoga. This exercise works both the mind and body for benefits that impact physical, mental, and cognitive health. This means that whether your parent is practicing alone, with you, or with their elderly health care services provider, yoga can play an important role in keeping them happy and healthy.
Some things that you should know about yoga include:
- Nearly 37 million people throughout the United States regularly participate in yoga
- Nearly 75 percent of those who participate in yoga regularly have been doing so for five or fewer years
- Those who practice yoga are far more likely to actively participate in other forms of exercise such as walking, running, or aerobics than those who do not
- 61 percent of those who started yoga were motivated by increased flexibility
- 56 percent of those who started yoga were motivated by stress relief
- 49 percent of those who started yoga were motivated by general fitness goals
- 49 percent of those who started yoga were motivated by the goal of improving health
- 86 percent of those who practice yoga report feeling a greater sense of mental clarity after beginning their practice
- 73 percent of those who practice yoga report feeling physically stronger
- 72 percent of those who participate in yoga are women
What may surprise many people most about yoga is the age of practitioners. While many have a very specific image of young people doing yoga, the truth is that the average age for practitioners is considerably higher. In fact, 38 percent of adult practitioners are over the age of fifty. This is exceeded only by those who are between the ages of 30 and 49, who encompass 43 percent of adult practitioners.
Some of the benefits of encouraging your parent to make yoga a part of their elderly care routine include:
- Improved flexibility and range of motion which can help to protect your parent against injuries and increase mobility
- Improved balance which reduces fall risk and guards against potentially serious injuries
- Improved cardiovascular health through both increased heartrate during practice, lowered blood pressure, and reduced stress
- Increased mental clarity and control over thoughts and emotions which can help people feel more connected with the world around them and able to focus on controlling their own lives and wellbeing.
Practicing yoga with your aging parent can be a great way for the two of you to spend more time together and to enjoy getting in shape. If you live at a distance from your parent or are unable to participate with them, an elderly health care services provider can provide reliable transportation to lessons as well as be there for your parent while they are practicing at home to ensure that they stay safe.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Monroeville, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Liken Home Care. Call (412) 693-6820 or (855) 856-0551
Source: https://www.yogaalliance.org/Learn/About_Yoga/2016_Yoga_in_America_Study/Highlights