Yoga

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Yoga with Elderly Persons/ Movement is a Great Healer



Yoga with the elderly-
Working with persons of advanced age in assisted living has been a most rewarding experience. They remind me of what really matters in life, even if someone can’t remember my name, hear or see me well they know about relationship, hugs and smiles, how simple playing can be a joy. Attention is greatly appreciated and giving attention is easy. These things are true with all the many individuals I have the honor to work with. I experience some stories they tell me beyond just hearing, because they are not to caught up in being “together” and show emotion so beautifully that the stories resonate in the heart. It is sad that the generations get separated so much in this American culture. It would be such rich education for children to know elders, hear their stories. 
When I started I had no idea what to expect, and didn’t listen to the people who said they’d never come.  I didn’t realize I’d spend so much time rounding them up, pushing their wheelchairs helping them stand and open doors for them with their walkers, and convince some each week saying “you know you always feel better when you exercise”.  I don’t get all the residents and the ones who come don’t make it every time, but I don’t give up and this part of the process is how I’ve gotten to know them little by little. 
I came to realize that unless it involved social interaction and it was fun they wouldn’t come. So over time I have built relationship with them. The classes don’t look like yoga, it is all adaptive and we throw soft balls around, sing songs, cajole and it is all fun. Elderly people know how to have simple fun just like children; it’s all of us from teens to 40’s who have forgotten how important community, laughter, acceptance and sharing are!  Oh, and hugs, these people give and receive hugs so well!
If I had any advice for someone who wanted to help elderly people, it would be to never give up, form relationships with them and always respect their dignity. Don’t be afraid to look foolish, be playful and keep showing up 100%.  Soft balls and passing them around and a basket to throw them into will go a long way. Doing the name-game often because there are new people or they just don’t remember. Singing songs (You are my sunshine, What a wonderful world…) allow 20-30 minutes of this kind of interaction and then you can easily get them to move and stretch. In all my  other yoga classes it is easy to have students close their eyes and focus on deep breathing, with the elderly it has taken a year to get some of them to do it for 3 minutes. But it is worth not giving up when you begin to see their faces relax more and their posture align even a little bit. I was thinking to myself; Sshould I keep trying to get them to do meditation? Then, when one woman told me she does it before bed every night now and it helps her sleep, I knew it was worth the effort and I persist.   I know I am there to serve them, yet I feel so blessed to be with them and learn from them. 
Movement is a great healer. We have the wrong idea in this society: if it hurts don’t move it. Though this is true when bones are broken, yet in most cases muscles, tendons and joints heal through movement. The reality is not moving just leads to more weakness and inflexibility, therefore more pain when you have to move, which is inevitable.  When injured you have to be very mindful and never push to the point of pain, but to find the range you can move in and gently, in a relaxed way.  MOVE and keep reclaiming your range of motion patiently, gently. Do activities where you can enjoy moving such as dance and games.
We have to monitor our loved ones who are injured or been inactive (for whatever reasons) and be sure we help them to keep moving,  and as we get older, we need to remember to stretch and move in many ways- not just sit, walk, and lay down. Again I will talk about eastern and third world countries because they do things that make perfect sense, they keep hip flexibility, back strength and good organ functioning because the sit on the floor or low to the floor on rugs, pillows or mats. They move in a much greater range of movement and strengthen all those muscles at least 5 times a day.  These are body-wise habits. If you look at all the most common physical problems in America it is knees, hips and back. These are not so common in cultures that sit on the floor. In these cultures activities like tai chi, yoga, dance and martial arts or done at all ages!!! Here I recently met a couple in their 50’s who were ready to give up dancing because they “get out of breath” – that getting out of breath is is telling them to dance more often, not give it up!  We love our chairs, and couches but they are not serving our bodies well. My bed is on the floor, I eat seated on the floor, and I’m typing now on a yoga ball at my desk, because I have been seeing and experiencing the ill effects of the furniture habit particularly in our elderly.
My own experience after several months of sitting and working on the computer (12-14 hours a day) lead to 60% loss of the flexibility in my back and legs, if not more. This happened in  just months! I also experienced strains and sprains over the years and reacted by not moving. Recent strains I have moved and moved and moved with patience and they healed much faster and the range of motion came back 100%. What amazed me the most is re-pulling a hamstring that initially was pulled back in my early twenties and I pampered and re-pulled so many times that I accepted a loss of range in motion for decades. Now, in my 50’s, as a yogi, I healed a recent strain through moving!  I thoughtfully kept moving and patiently re-gained and increased flexibility in both hamstrings, beyond what I ever had in my life!
Movement is a great healer. So move every day, get down on the floor and roll around, dance in the privacy of your own home if you are shy about dancing in public. Get your blood circulating. Get your heart-rate up, stretch. It will improve how you feel in so many ways- and it’s never too late to start.  If you have been inactive for a long time I recommend Tia Chi or gentle yoga classes to start.  Embody your Spirit, Enjoy inhabiting and nurturing your body through mindful movement.
 Namaste, Christina