Exercise professionals are thinking ahead toward serving an aging population. Now that the baby boomers are turning 65, their bodies need exercise more than ever, but they have to be careful what form that exercise takes. Yoga can be a gentle solution. However, many standard classes are too vigorous for seniors. Fortunately, interested yoga teachers can attend trainings to address seniors' specific needs.
Senior Issues
Senior yoga certification programs address the problems of aging bodies, such as osteoporosis, menopause, joint replacements, heart disease, arthritis and chronic pain. Prospective teachers can learn to teach chair yoga, in which seniors remain seated throughout class. Sub-specialties of senior yoga include classes for people with a particular disease, such as MS, cancer or Parkinson's. Other disturbances common among seniors, such as depression and insomnia, may also be addressed in a senior yoga certification course.
Types of Programs
Senior yoga certifications fall into two main groups: those for existing yoga teachers, and those starting from scratch. Trainings for people who already teach are, of course, much shorter. YogaFit offers a one-day senior workshop for $319 at various places around the United States. Asheville Yoga Center in North Carolina has periodic senior yoga workshops, such as a recent three-day training, which costs $305. Silver Age Yoga, based in San Diego, offers a 200-hour training course, which provides a basic yoga teacher education as well as a focus on teaching seniors.
Distance Learning
Distance learning is another option for earning a senior yoga certification. This is appropriate for people who already have plenty of teaching experience but want to learn senior-specific techniques. Silver Age Yoga is one purveyor of such a program. This organization estimates that completing its course will take 55 to 65 hours, and it offers additional online assistance for students who run into trouble on the quizzes. Tuition is $595 and includes books, DVDs and a business toolkit.
Case Study: Yoga in Nursing Homes
Carol Martin, a chair yoga teacher in St. Ann, Missouri, wrote a moving description of her experience working with seniors in nursing homes. She found that they were mostly a very enthusiastic audience who appreciated the practical applications of yoga. Some of the places Martin taught had previously been served only by exercise classes on DVD. The seniors valued the community aspects of interacting with an instructor and each other. She also helped them address one of their biggest fears: falling -- and not being able to summon help or get up on their own. She worked with them on developing the leg and upper-body strength necessary to either raise themselves up off the floor or drag themselves across the floor to a call button. Several of her students later reported that due to her instruction, they were able to remain calm and get up after falling. Martin recommends teaching seniors as a very rewarding vocation.
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