We’re thrilled to celebrate the inspiring work of Minded Institute graduates Liz Oppedijk and Keeley Frampton, who are advancing the accessibility of yoga and/or yoga therapy through groundbreaking research. Their recent study highlights the profound impact of chair yoga on the mental health and wellbeing of residents in care homes, including those living with dementia. Liz, a leader in Accessible Chair Yoga, Minded lecturer, and co-author of Get Fit Where You Sit, and Keeley are showcasing how yoga and/or yoga therapy can truly meet people where they are—providing vital evidence for its integration into mainstream care.
The Challenges Facing Care Home Residents
Care home residents represent some of society’s most vulnerable individuals:
- 40% experience depression, often untreated (Age UK Policy Paper)
- Up to 30% suffer from anxiety, much of it unrecognised (NICE briefing paper).
- 56% live with cognitive impairments, including dementia (Oxford Academic Study).
- Frailty increases risks of falls, cognitive decline, and hospitalisation, adding to care costs (Hoogendijk et al., 2019).
These barriers, compounded by limited mobility, lack of tailored activities, and under-resourced staffing, make it critical to find accessible interventions that support mental health and overall wellbeing.
Breaking Barriers with Chair Yoga and/or Yoga Therapy in Care Homes
The study, conducted in four Hertfordshire care homes, explored the feasibility and impact of chair yoga and/or yoga therapy on older adults, including those with mild to severe dementia. Participants in the chair yoga group (n = 17) attended twice-weekly Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga™ sessions for 8 weeks, while control participants (n = 16) underwent assessments only. Ages ranged from 80 to 101, reflecting the realities of a frail and aging population.
Key Insights from the Study
The research assessed multiple facets of mental and physical wellbeing, producing impactful findings:
- Anxiety and Depression: Significant reductions were observed, measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), positioning chair yoga as a powerful non-pharmacological intervention for mental health challenges in care home residents
- Mood: Participants reported significantly lower negative mood levels, assessed via the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), even among those with severe cognitive impairments.
- Balance Confidence: No major changes in balance confidence (as measured by the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale) were recorded, but this raises avenues for further research on mobility-focused adaptations.
- Quality of Life: Stability in health-related quality of life, measured through the EQ-5D-3L, demonstrates how chair yoga helps sustain wellbeing in populations often expected to decline.
Why This Matters
As the world population ages, strategies like yoga and/or yoga therapy are critical to promoting healthy aging. Research shows physical activity reduces mortality (LaMonte et al., 2018) and supports successful aging (Jadczak et al., 2018). Even light-intensity interventions like chair yoga provide significant benefits for individuals unable to engage in more vigorous activities (Fuzeki et al., 2017).
This study proves the feasibility of delivering yoga and/or yoga therapy in care homes, with 80.5% attendance among participants who completed the program. Despite challenges like frailty and competing medical priorities, these results suggest that even the most vulnerable populations can participate and benefit.
Expanding the Reach of Yoga and/or Yoga Therapy
Liz Oppedijk and Keeley Frampton’s work demonstrates the immense potential of yoga and/or yoga therapy in transforming lives beyond traditional yoga spaces. Their study highlights the opportunity for broader integration of yoga and/or yoga therapy into care settings, supporting mental health and resilience while challenging misconceptions about who yoga is for.
What’s Next?
This research lays the foundation for larger studies on chair yoga and/or yoga therapy in care homes, including long-term outcomes, optimal session “doses,” and potential physical health benefits like mobility and fall prevention. By prioritising accessibility, Liz and Keeley are showing how yoga and/or yoga therapy can address systemic gaps in care and improve quality of life for aging populations.
Minded Institute graduates continue to lead the way in innovative applications of yoga and/or yoga therapy, proving its transformative power in healthcare and beyond.
If you’re a healthcare professional, care worker, carer, or yoga professional looking to expand your skill set, Liz Oppedijk’s regularly-held online courses offer a transformative opportunity to do just that:
Online Basic Yoga Techniques for Health Professionals
A one-day course designed to equip professionals with simple yet powerful movement, breath, and relaxation techniques that can be easily integrated into care settings. These techniques can support patients, staff members, residents, relatives, and even your own wellbeing.
Online Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga Teacher Training Part 1
For those looking to take their training further, this specialised course trains yoga professionals to deliver fully accessible chair yoga sessions. As social prescribing continues to grow, chair yoga teachers are in increasing demand across healthcare and community settings.
Online CPD: Lakshmi Voelker Further Chair Yoga Skills – Part 2
Part 2 builds on the learning from Part 1 and provides further skills for using a chair safely and effectively as part of any yoga practice, based on the Lakshmi Voelker Method and integrating relevant scientific research.
We look forward to welcoming you soon.
