Memory loss and dementia may have a profound impact on a person’s life as well as the lives of their loved ones. You don’t have to provide all of your loved one’s care if they are experiencing dementia symptoms. With memory care therapies and programs that include yoga therapy, Terra Vista is always researching and developing different ways that residents may flourish in a secure environment. The greatest care will be given to your loved one.
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The Benefits of Yoga for Brain Health
In the US, yoga is a common supplemental health practice. Yoga is an old Indian discipline. It offers a comprehensive mind-body experience by integrating physical postures, rhythmic breathing, and meditation exercises. Exercise neuroscientists are becoming more interested in the active attentional element of yoga’s breathing and meditation practices. The more we learn about it, the more scientific proof we find of its positive effects on both physical and mental health.
Your brain’s structure and function can benefit as a result of yoga practice. Your brain cells form new connections that enhance cognitive abilities like memory and learning. The brain regions involved in memory, attention, consciousness, cognition, and language are strengthened by yoga. Consider it weightlifting for your brain.
Studies utilizing MRI scans and other forms of brain imaging technology have demonstrated that individuals who practiced yoga regularly had thicker hippocampal and cerebral cortical layers—two regions of the brain involved in learning and memory—than those who don’t. Although these brain regions normally decrease with age, older yoga practitioners had less shrinkage than non-yoga practitioners. This shows that yoga may help slow down the memory loss associated with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other age-related cognitive deficits.
Yoga and Aging
As we age, our bodies become less flexible, less stable, slower, weaker, and less competitive in endurance. Yoga can help mitigate or relieve symptoms of these changes, such as heart issues, lung capacity, bone density, muscle loss, back pain, and artificial knees. It’s important to allow your yoga practice to be dictated by physical changes, as the yoga sutras suggest poses should be steady and comfortable. Regular yoga practice can improve self-confidence, body image, empathy, and decision-making, which are also benefits for aging. Studies also suggest that practicing yoga and meditation may enhance executive functions, which include memory, learning, reasoning, decision-making, response time, and accuracy on mental acuity tests.
Chair Yoga for Dementia Patients
For people with restricted mobility, chair yoga offers seated positions for better accessibility, safety, and ease of practice. This makes it ideal for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s. For those who work with dementia patients, here are a few yoga chair poses and activities that are tailored to them.
Meditation
Use guided meditations to promote mental clarity and peacefulness. Knowing your student’s life and interests can enhance the effectiveness of these meditations. A possible practice involves inviting your patient to a comfortable position in a chair, starting with a body scan or breath awareness practice, and using guided imagery to help them recreate memories of their favorite places.
Asana
Improve and maintain flexibility, muscle strength, and balance in patients. This is especially helpful with aiding in fall and injury prevention. It suggests focusing on anchor points like palms, belly, and hearts, or guiding attention to sounds or images. It also suggests offering simple balanced postures, starting with achievable goals and gradually building from there. End classes with gentle forward folds, like paschimottanasana, which is a seated forward fold, to downregulate the nervous system. Adapt to the person’s ability, such as resting their arms on a table for wheelchair users or placing them at a table for fall risk.
Yoga Therapy as a Holistic Approach
The goal of yoga therapy is to improve mental wellness via the union of the mind and body. It is a self-empowering process where a yoga therapist implements a personalized, evolving practice to address and alleviate various illnesses. It can be preventative, curative, or facilitate healing at all levels. Yoga therapists have comprehensive training, including medical diagnoses, knowledge of physical and mental health conditions, and the ability to prescribe yoga practices. They listen to clients, identify the appropriate methods, and empower them to overcome health challenges.
Some studies show how effective yoga therapy can be. According to a 2011 study, yoga has fewer negative effects than medicine and may be used in addition to traditional therapy for mental health conditions. Research in 2021 found that yoga can be used to cure several illnesses, including schizophrenia, alcoholism, bipolar disorder, anxiety, sadness, and PTSD.
Implementing Yoga into Dementia Care
Yoga offers numerous benefits for dementia care, including physical well-being, mental calmness, mind engagement, and social interaction. Its gentle movements promote flexibility and balance, while breathing and meditation reduce stress and anxiety. Yoga poses involve coordination and memory, keeping the mind active and engaged. Group yoga sessions also reduce feelings of isolation.
Introducing yoga to dementia patients can be simple. Here are some tips:
- Start with gentle poses, teaching relaxed breathing techniques for relaxation and peace.
- Pair yoga with soothing music or rhythmic movements for added enjoyment.
- Follow guided sessions led by experienced instructors who understand dementia care.
- Adding yoga to daily routines provides consistency and comfort that everyone can enjoy.
- Choose a quiet, familiar area to minimize distractions.
- Provide clear, easy instructions to avoid confusion.
Yoga Benefits Everyone at Terra Vista
It’s easier than you might think to incorporate yoga into dementia care. Customizing yoga to meet individual requirements, setting up a comfortable space, and getting professional advice are simple ways to get started.
Exploring the benefits of yoga is a great way to help maintain the overall brain health of dementia patients. It also may bring a soothing and enlightening aspect into the lives of those dealing with this condition, as well as their caregivers. The mental, physical, and emotional benefits of yoga and yoga therapy are things that people young and old can extract value from.
At Terra Vista, we treat every person as family. Our dementia care facility is dedicated to giving them all-encompassing care, a secure and comfortable environment, and enjoyable activities that make every day better. We offer memory therapy and short-term rehabilitation for dementia patients. For further information on what makes our memory care facility deserving of awards, give us a call at 630-793-0753 or contact us online.
