You should consult your family physician and get the “go ahead,” before starting any exercise program. If possible, visit, or call the senior center, to find out about their policies and general guidelines. When it is your first class, it is a good idea to get into the front row, so you can clearly see and hear your Yoga teacher.

When you need extra advice, or have a particular health condition, you should talk to your teacher before, or after, the class. Your Yoga teacher will give advice and show modifications, throughout the class, but when you have questions that concern your safety and health, you should ask right away. This is not something that should be put on the “back burner.”

Within the senior center staff structure, there are volunteers, paid staff, and management. They are all extremely helpful. Seek help and you will find an abundance of it. If the business world ran like this, we would all behappy customers.

You don’t have to bring any special equipment to a Chair Yoga class. Most senior centers have more than enough chairs to accommodate everyone. Some Chair Yoga classes do use mats, as well as chairs, but this is more the exception than the rule. If the center uses mats, in part of the class, you will have to take your shoes off.

Most senior centers have hard floors with tile over cement. In this case, you should wear good sneakers, tennis shoes, or aerobic shoes. This will allow your shoes to grip the floor, to prevent potential slipping accidents. It also gives your feet and joints some cushion from the hard surface.

There is no need to buy special clothes. You should wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict your movement. Don’t wear anything tight around the waist. This will bother your stomach during some of the bending or twisting movements.

You should never push or strain into a Yoga posture. This can cause a variety of injuries from very slight to serious. Therefore, stay in the “comfort zone.” No one really knows how your body feels, except you.

If the class is large, it will be held in a large room, like a dining hall. Expect some distractions, with people coming, and going, from different activities, within the senior center. This is not ideal for meditation, but the physical rewards, and new friends you gain, will make up for it.

� Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the Author
Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher.http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

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Your First Chair Yoga Class in a Senior Center

Going through life’s sunset presents many daunting challenges and consequences. You will have to face financial constraints and inflexibility due to limited source of income, fixed social security benefits, facing the high cost of health care and preparing all those legal documents through power of attorney in cases when you can no longer carry out duties normally attributed to a healthy person.

1. Types of Senior Housing

One of the things that concern most people reaching old age is the type of housing they need to choose which will perfectly match their needs depending on their level of activity and preference. There are housing for active individuals and couples, and housing for individuals or couples who prefer living within a usual community.

2. Independent Living

Some are into independent living through apartment and some choose to stay on their own house under the supervision or care of someone, as in caregivers or other geriatric care managers. Some who do not have a place to stay are left in nursing homes and cared for by individuals working for a state government and others who are left in a nursing home managed by a non-profit organization. Special cases are given for individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and people with terminal illness.

3. Care Programs

Others choose to be in a continuing care program where a complete medical program and activity are performed all throughout old age. This is mostly a supervised housing program where a lifelong nursing and medical care are provided for each individual.

4. What Program Is Best For You?

Your preference will most likely matter in senior housing decisions you’ll have to make. If you have a couple entering such stage, your decision will be a bit tough for you have to consider other party’s decision. Your family may take part of the decision process as well and provide you more options to where you can spend the rest of your life under the care of a health care individuals or put you on a continuing care program to supervise your safety along this period. Agencies are available in the management of availing for senior housing facility. A brief consultation with senior housing representatives will give you a wealth of information you can use in your decision process.

5. Factors To Consider

Lifestyle

The choice of an appropriate housing program depends on your taste of environment, be it in a rural area or in a more advanced societies.
While statistics shows that majority of retirees still go for areas with less stress and outside the city’s busy life, a growing number of individuals are somewhat extending their participation in the society and choose to mingle with the very changing metropolitan world.

Level of Activity

Couples or Individuals who wants to be on a more relax environment go to rural areas free of hassles and stress of the modern world, while a considerable number of individuals are becoming more and more open into associating themselves to the busy metropolitan society. Apartment types offer this kind of convenience for active individuals and couples. Condominiums, conventional family homes and mobile homes are some of the most common apartment types.

People living in this community are more exposed to the many benefits of the government’s retirement program. Senior communities allow them to take advantage of facilities related to fitness, and other amenities not present in a more monotonous housing programs. Citizens of this type are exposed to these pleasantries such as spa, pools and tennis and golf courts. They are also provided with an accessible system of transportation and are a number one participant in a number of social activities. Many individuals are noted for they play an active part in a certain social movement as in the case of non-governmental organizations.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions

It is but usual for elders to suffer a number of age-related illnesses. What’s worse is, a number of diseases common among elders is the ever-popular Alzheimer’s Syndromes (Alzheimer’s Care Program). Some even are incapable of carrying out normal activities like cooking, bathing, and cleaning so they are kept in an Assisted Homecare Program. In this type of care giving facility nursing specialists provide basic services such as the above activities which they cannot perform. Additionally, medical services are also administered.

Terminally ill patients (Hospice care system) are also given special attention using unique treatments; mitigating pain characteristic of the disease’s symptoms. Others who can afford the services of a professional caregiver may take the Home Care Service Program. This allows ailing seniors get the service of a caretaker at the comfort of their own home. This option is the least program taken advantage of today.

About the Author
For more great senior housing related articles and resources check out http://seniorliving.goldenhq.com

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How To Choose The Best Senior Housing For You