Seek Out A Qualified Teacher
It’s important to find a trained instructor who understands the unique challenges faced by the 55-plus crowd. Yoga Alliance maintains a voluntary registry of yoga teachers throughout the U.S. who meet certain standards. Also, Yoga for Seniors offers a directory of instructors who have undergone special training to enable them to adapt yoga programs specifically for older adults.
Ask potential teachers how long they’ve been leading classes and whether they have any experience teaching seniors or people with health issues. If possible, observe an actual class to get a sense of the teacher’s techniques. And once you choose an instructor, be sure to tell him or her about any physical limitations you have, such as arthritis, balance problems, back pain, or high blood pressure.
Best Smartphone Apps For Seniors
Whether you want to stay abreast of current news, keep your mind sharp, or curate playlists of your favourite music, theres no shortage of Android or iPhone apps for seniors available right at your fingertips. Check out some of the following:
Spotify
The right music can help you power up, mellow out, or get inspired. On Spotify, you get to create your own playlists based on your favorite genre, artist or a specific song. You can also share playlists, or have playlists made by friends and family shared with you.
- The Basic Plan is free, but doesnt allow offline streaming and includes commercials.
- The Individual Plan is $9.99 CAD/month after the offer period.
- The Duo Plan is $12.99 CAD/month after offer period and includes two accounts.
- The Family Plan is $14.99 CAD/month after offer period and can include up to six accounts.
Skype
If you have friends and family in other cities or countries, or even ones in your hometown who you arent able to see in person because of social-isolation and distancing, Skype is a trusted alternative to long-distance and international calls. Skype reduces the cost of such calls and provides other options as well, including instant messaging and video conferencing. It features:
The Weather Channel
MediSafe Medication Reminder
Senior Meetme: Dating Over 50
Best For: Online dating
Why We Love It: This app is specifically designed for seniors, and registration is limited to only those who are 45 and older. Senior MeetMe allows you to search through verified profiles of other mature singles to find those who share similar interests with you, and it can help you build meaningful connections with other seniors. While it is free to download this app, there are premium subscription options starting at $7.99/week.
Download the app here: Senior MeetMe: Dating over 50
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Gym Plus Fitsense App
The FitSense app is a handy mobile fitness app designed to help you succeed with your fitness and nutrition goals. Ready to book an exercise class? You can check the club schedule and book a class using the app. It also includes personalized training and nutrition plans designed by a trainer at your fitness assessment to keep you motivated!
Chair & Standing Routines: Ageless Yoga Volume 1
Led by Harvard University Center for Wellness instructor John Schlorholtz, this is a great chair yoga DVD for older adults who have difficulty getting down on the floor. It features a variety of routines that offer you a choice of either sitting in a chair or using a chair for stability while standing.
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Daily Yoga: Workout And Fitness
Daily Yoga is an all-around amazing app for yoga enthusiasts of all ages. The app provides you with 500+ asanas, 70+ yoga programs, 500+ guided yoga classes, pilates, meditation sessions, plus a large yoga pose library so you can learn more about each pose.
If you have a hard time choosing which class you want to take , Daily Yoga helps you out by providing a suggested class every day.
When you sign up, the app asks you to select what your main goal is for doing yoga so they can provide you with accurate program suggestions. The different program options include beginner, stay healthy, lose weight, skill improvement, muscle tone, and stress relief.
After you select your focus, the app will provide you with a variety of programs. The programs range from level one to three, so you can select programs from whichever level is right for you.
If youd prefer to do single classes instead of a program, thats also an option. The classes can be anywhere from 5 to 70 minutes long and are offered in seven languages, including English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, German, and French.
If you are doing yoga to try and burn some extra calories, this is a great app for you. Daily Yoga provides you with your estimated calorie burn for each yoga workout.
At the top of your home screen, the Daily Yoga app shows you how many workouts youve done, as well as your current workout streak. This is a great way to encourage yourself to get in a daily workout so you wont mess up your streak.
Down Dog: Great Yoga Anywhere
If you want your yoga practice to be an experience in itself, then this is the app that you should turn to. Every time a user gets down to practice yoga the app creates a fresh new Vinyasa sequence. This means that there would never be any repetitive sequences as there is a lot of content worth sharing.
Every pose is accompanied by clear audio instructions and a matching playlist. This makes the entire workout a studio like experience for its users. The music and sequencing of the poses are so much in sync that it is very easy to continue doing the exercise without watching the screen even once. The app also has a boost function which allows you to concentrate on one particular area of your body.
Pros
- Every day new vinyasa sequence created.
- Beautifully synchronized sequences make the yoga an experience to relish.
- Music provided which matches well with the exercise.
Cons
- The premium version is expensive but has better features.
- Faces startup problems occasionally.
Basic features
- Google play store rating of 4.9
- Even though the app is free for additional features, you can always opt for premium membership.
- Available on iOS and Android,
Distinguishing feature
The perfectly coordinated sequences and music are something which allows you to keep doing the exercise even if you are not looking at the app.
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What To Know Before Your Yoga First Class
Using a chair for balance during your practice is a safe way to build strength & modify poses .
Going to your first yoga class can be daunting, but once you get there, youll probably find its a friendly and welcoming space! However, this brief overview of what you can expect may help put your mind at ease:
The Best Types Of Yoga For Senior Citizens
Whether you’re aiming to get stronger and more flexible or you just want to decompress and still your mind, yoga can help. But with the dozens of different styles that exist, it can be tough to figure out which type is most appropriate for you. Remember that a key consideration is your physical condition and fitness level. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise regimen.
Here are eight types of yoga that may offer what you need:
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Yoga For Kids And Family Fitness
This one is quite a different type of app. Let me tell you the reason. Well, many of us are very responsive to our family and dont know how to compromise with the health of our kids and other family members. This app is especially for them. It is Yoga for Kids and Family Fitness. The best part of this app will show you how to keep your kids and other family members engaged with a proper yoga session.
It will help them to stay healthy and fit. To be true, yoga is such a thing that it is essential for people of every age. So, it doesnt matter where a person is young or old, kid, or adult. He or she should try yoga for a sound body and mind. This app also thinks so, and for that, it instructs yoga for all ages.
Important Features
- Yoga poses for weight loss and heart disease remediation is available.
- Different poses of people of different ages are there to engage your whole family with it.
- Freehand exercise and workout instructions are available.
- Easy settings and user-friendly interface.
- Video Details for more defined poses.
- Lots of nutritional information and tips for a healthy lifestyle.
No Matter Your Interests Or Fitness Level We Found An App To Make Living Your Best Life Easier
We spend a lot of time staring at our phones. So we might as well use them to help us lead healthier, happier lives.
Certain apps are designed to do exactly that. The only problem: With more than 2 million options available, finding an app thats truly worth downloading can be an all-day endeavor.
Thats why we did the work for you. The fitness apps below are true standouts in the sea of options. All of them meet these basic requirements:
- Is it highly rated?
- It is user-friendly?
- Is it reliable and not buggy?
- Can it continue to grow and innovate? In other words, you wont outgrow it in a few weeks when your fitness improves.
Beyond that, they each offer something unique to make living your best life a little easier. As always, safety is key. If you are a beginner or have a chronic condition , balance issues, or injuries, talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely.
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What To Consider When Purchasing A Smartwatch For A Senior
When purchasing a smartwatch for an older adult, its important to look at their individual needs. How would they typically use the device? Are there any specific health metrics theyre interested in monitoring, such as heart rate or blood oxygen levels? And if they plan to wear it mostly for safety, its important to prioritize features like fall detection, GPS tracking and the ability to send medical alerts. Determining these factors can help you find the best option for your loved one.
Below are a few more details to keep in mind as you shop for a smartwatch for an older adult.
Flush Toilet Finder & Map
Cost: Free
If you suffer with impaired mobility or you have a disability, finding a restroom when youre out and about can be a real struggle and a pain.
Flash Toilet Finder & Map is a simple but invaluable app that will show you where the nearest WCs are in your vicinity. The app uses your phones GPS to find where youre located and it uses this to find toilets nearby and helps direct you to them.
At the time of writing, the app has a database of over 200,000 restrooms in cities across the world which is regularly being updated by its users. The app provides helpful information about the WC such as whether there is a fee to use it, whether it requires a key and whether it has disabled access. A handy feature is it doesnt require an internet connection so you will never be caught short again.
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Yoga Benefits Your Mental Health
According to the NIH, yoga can benefit your mind as much as your body. Studies show practicing yoga causes decreased depression, stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels, and increased feelings of hope over time.
Taking care of your mental health is important at any age. However, the risks associated with mental health struggles increase as you grow older. Those who suffer from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke, have an increased risk of suffering from depression. In addition, depression can complicate the treatment of these conditions, making treatment more difficult.
Yoga Videos For Seniors: Sequences For Your Exercise Program
Below, we’ll share a few yoga videos designed specifically for older adults. If you’re new to the practice of yoga, try working these sequences into your routine:
Gentle Chair Yoga for Beginners and Seniors: This 15-minute chair yoga video is ideal for those with limited mobility or those recovering from an injury.
30-Minute Restorative Yoga and Meditation: This restorative yoga practice is a slow-paced class suitable for seniors, focusing on the mental and meditative benefits of yoga.
Full Length Gentle Yoga Class for Beginners and Seniors: This 30-minute yoga flow is slow-paced, featuring a number of seated and standing poses. The instructor offers a number of modifications for beginners.
Gentle Yoga for Seniors 1 Hour Hatha Class: This full, hour-long hatha class is taught by and designed for seniors. Since it’s a longer video, you may want to save this video until you’ve completed a shorter sequence.
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Magnifying Glass + Flashlight
Cost: Free
If your eyesight is not what it used to be, and you struggle to read small print, or you often forget to take your glasses out with you, an app which you may want to consider installing is Magnifying Glass + Flashlight App.
The free app turns your device into a handy magnifying glass allowing you to read text that you may have otherwise struggled with such as a restaurant menu, a medicine bottle or a magazine.
To use the app, open it up and hold it over any form of text. Once your phones camera auto-focuses on the text, it will appear magnified on your screen allowing you to zoom in from 1.0X 5.0X. In low light situations the flashlight will automatically come on allowing you to read text clearly even when it is dark.
The Best Health Apps For Seniors
Posted: May 23, 2018 · This is available for free from the Apple iTunes store, but calls to urgent care cost $3.99 each. 5. MyFitnessPal. Diet and exercise can change the way a person ages. It can help maintain mobility, keep the heart healthy, alleviate pain and stiffness, improve sleep and manage weight. Diet and exercise can also prevent or relieve the symptoms of …
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Best Online Workout Programs For Women Over 50
Posted: Mar 16, 2020 · BeFit. Cost: Free 30-day trial, then $6.99 per month for Amazon Prime members, Amazon For less than $7 a month, you can sign up for BeFit via Amazon Prime.While this wide selection of videos includes exercises that run the gamut from barre to yoga and hosts movies from fitness experts such as Denise Austin , it really stands out for its
A Unique Feature Of The Yoga Collective
The wellness classes cover many useful topics, such as general life coaching, self-care, and even videos about relationships. This is a great attribute if you enjoy a more holistic approach to health.
They also offer a category called Refresh, where they provide you with recipes that are healthy and nourish your body from the inside out. They have recipes for smoothies, salads, nut milk, and more!
This is a wonderful app if you are looking for a program that gives you great yoga classes but also helps you improve your overall wellbeing!
The Yoga Collective | Studio is extremely user-oriented and includes every feature you could ever want, such as short biographies about each of the teachers, a calendar to plan your workouts, a meditation timer, and a selection of music that you can choose to play during your workouts.
Another great thing about this app is that it is also available online. The online version allows you to sign up for live stream classes, meaning that you will be doing the yoga class with an instructor in real-time through a video conferencing site. While this is not included in your membership fee, the classes are only $5.99. So you get to experience a live class for a much cheaper price than you would if you went to a studio!
While the app does provide a few free classes, to see most of the content, you need to buy a subscription. The monthly subscription is $14.99, the quarterly is $26.99, and the annual is $71.99.
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Yoga For Weight Loss Beginners
Some people are motivated to work out by watching fitness-inspired movies while others are stimulated more through apps. The Yoga for Weight Loss Beginnersapp helped people stay fit amid the lockdown when wellness studios or community yoga sessions had to take a pause. It has a rather simplistic set-up and is great for beginners who are looking to practice yoga daily.
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The Yoga For Weight Loss Beginners app features a helpful voice and visual guides to take users through the movements. Users can personalize their daily workout routine and even choose from pre-sets that are already organized on a set timetable. The programs are also set up in a time-efficient manner, so users can decide beforehand how long they want to spend working out.
Palm Tree Pose Tadasana
- Step 1: Start in mountain pose.
- Step 2: Gaze at a steady point. Lift the hands up and interlock the fingers overhead, flip the palms up
- Step 3: Inhale and lift both the heels off the mat. Stretch as much as possible without over arching the back.
- Step 4: Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Exhale to rest the heels back down and return to starting pose
Variations: To maintain balance, this yoga routine can be done by seniors next to a wall.
Benefits: Good for stretching the arms, chest, abdomen, spine and the legs. It helps with concentration, focus and improves posture, increases awareness and steadies the breath. Practice this pose for longer to help with digestion, blood circulation and building strength in the abdomen and legs.
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