A Real Stretch To Mental Health for Older Adults

Yoga is often pictured as a series of extreme stretches and rigorous physical control, but it’s also a time-tested technique for relaxation and flexibility that can be perfect for aging adults. Sally King, Older Adult Care coordinator at Tri-County, is using her interest in the practice for Tri-County Mental Health Services.

King has already used yoga’s physical and mental techniques in Tri-County’s day program, which provides living skills and other training for adults with mental illness. She volunteered to teach yoga in the program’s North Star Club for consumers in January. The success of this group led her to develop a yoga program for current clients who are older adults. The program begins this month.

“Yoga is a great way to reduce stress and maintain some flexibility,” King said. “The breathing, gentle stretching, and balance work are perfect for older adults, especially when it comes to fall prevention. However, for folks of any age who struggle with depression or anxiety, research has shown that yoga breathing will decrease anxiety. Yoga is a powerful coping mechanism, both clinically and physically.”

One of her students in the day program couldn’t agree more. “It relaxes you,” Roger explained. “And you stretch your muscles. You feel better all over.”

Roger had already tried yoga at Tri-County Lebedun Center and was active in a walking program. King said that the combination of yoga and programs like walking can provide surprisingly powerful mental health solutions for older adults. The techniques are increasingly important with the growing awareness that one in four American adults is estimated to have a diagnosable mental illness. Less than one-quarter of them receive any type of mental health attention, let alone appropriate treatment.

“Depression in never a normal part of aging,” King said. “Yoga is another tool we can use. It recognizes the connection between the mind and the body, so we’re not just treating a mental illness, we’re caring for the whole person.”

King recommends yoga or similar programs for almost everyone. "People of all ages can benefit from yoga,” she said. “But as we age, it's even more important to get up and move. Yoga can ease arthritis pain, increase flexibility and mobility, improve balance, help with depression, improve sleep and sometimes blood pressure.”

King said the classes begin with a warm-up and then include poses that strengthen—including the abdominal muscles and back—as well as improve balance. A cool-down follows, including stretches for hamstrings, back and hips. A final deep relaxation time encourages calmness and breathing. King doesn’t include any chanting or meditation, instead focusing on fitness and anxiety reduction.

“Yoga is definitely beneficial for all ages and most people who perform yoga don't look their age,” she concluded. “You perform yoga with a mindful approach, focusing on the breath and listening to your body, all the while letting go of competition, judgment, and expectations—you leave your to-do list at home!"

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