Online Chair Yoga to support adults with dementia

 


There are various challenges to tackle for caregivers of adults with dementia. Social isolation and the demands of taking care of a person with dementia require new approaches to support the patients’ health and social interactions while creating conditions that are feasible and accessible.  The pandemic added new limitations to a complicated situation.

Is online supervised Chair Yoga a feasible resource to offer for adults with dementia?

 A small study funded by the Florida Atlantic University showed that it is. The results of this study were published by the Journal Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice. A study to assess the feasibility of online Chair Yoga in adults with dementia had never been done before.

 The study explored the feasibility of supervised online Chair Yoga in a group of patients with dementia by evaluating the retention, adherence and safety of the approach.

A home-based Chair Yoga intervention was provided to 10 older patients with dementia (mean age was 80.73). Eight patients were male. Four patients had Alzheimer’s dementia; one had Lewy Body dementia and the other patients had others types of dementia.

The classes were offered twice a week for eight weeks by certified yoga instructors. Each class lasted sixty minutes. Data were collected at baseline, mid-intervention and post-intervention. Cardiac and psychosocial data were included in the data collection to explore the effects of the yoga practice. The class included breathing techniques, intentional practice, physical postures, guided-relaxation and visualization.

 The results of this small study suggest the use of supervised Chair Yoga online is beneficial to patients with dementia. In terms of safety, no injuries or adverse events were reported. Adherence was 87.5 percent and retention was 70 percent. The practice helped to manage physical and psychological symptoms in patients with dementia.

  Supervised Online Chair Yoga offered by qualified instructors can be an accessible, cost-effective strategy to support the wellbeing of adults with dementia. Yoga as a mind-body practice that boosts social interactions may help to lessen the burdens of social isolation, and it may be considered as a supportive measure for both caregivers and patients.

References:

Park, J., et al. (2022) Remotely supervised home-based online chair yoga intervention for older adults with dementia: Feasibility study Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101617.

Note: the information provided in this blog intends to share the latest research on yoga. However, the content of this blog should never be used as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor.

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