Seniors at ‘peace’ through yoga

Victorian yoga-fanatic, 78-year-old Lorna Maxwell, says it is important to “limber up” at her age.

Ms Maxwell is one of many older Australians benefiting – physically, mentally and spiritually – from yoga, the relaxation discipline, which originated in ancient India.

“I’ve been involved in yoga since I retired from my teaching career in 1989. My husband had terminal cancer and I needed to get out and do something,” Ms Maxwell tells DPS News.

She attends a yoga group in Melbourne, which is run by yoga teacher and therapist, Robyn Clarke. Pictured is just some of Ms Clarke’s senior students at their weekly yoga class.

Some of the benefits Ms Maxwell says she receives from the classes are stretching and breathing techniques, relief from her arthritic pain and interacting with others similar in age.

“Ms Clarke’s routines are not the same every week; she puts in something different each time,” Ms Maxwell says.

Having recently completed her therapy training, Ms Clarke tells DPS News, she has been teaching an older group of yoga students for more than a decade.

Ranging in age from 60 to over 90 years old, Ms Clarke’s yoga classes recommence this month.

“Yoga therapy is very beneficial to the aged community as it can be designed to meet the special needs of the person. While it is a relatively new discipline in the west it has been practiced in India for generations with great success,” she says.

“Many people, as they get older, forget how important it is to breathe – so gently warming up exercises are really good for seniors,” she adds.

Ms Clarke admits teaching yoga classes to the elderly does require a different skill set and level of experience than classes for younger adults because of the physical limitations often associated with ageing.

“This fact may deter yoga teachers from working with this group of the population. Moreover, I find my older group inspirational and very rewarding.

“They have a greater understanding of their own bodies. I tell all of my students to ‘stay in the moment and be within the day’,” she says.

Should yoga be a regular lifestyle activity at aged care facilities across Australia? Share your thoughts by commenting in the box below.