When June Koh had an accident and fractured her right ankle, her doctor said her ankle would take one to two years to mend. June recovered in less than a year – six to eight months, to be precise! She attributed it to yoga and meditation. June swears by the “physical, mental, emotional and spiritual” benefits of yoga.
June is a certified yoga therapist who’s trained in India, Australia, and Singapore for over 14 years. Today, the yoga instructor conducts 60- to 75-minute classes for various groups of people, which take place at associations and community clubs. June’s Yoga workshops are not only popular amongst the young and healthy but also the elderly. She holds workshops for the 50 and above age group, to help with flexibility and blood circulation – issues commonly faced by the aging population.
According to June, regular practice of yoga is beneficial to the elderly as it promotes not only joint movement but also muscle strengthening. "The breathing exercises during yoga also help to fortify the nervous system, which then boosts the immune system and reduces anxiety," she explained to be one of the primary benefits of yoga for the elderly. The yoga workshops also incorporate eye exercises that work the muscles connected to the brain – stimulating brain activity – a good exercise to help delay dementia.
For the elderly “with rheumatism, arthritis, high blood pressure and heart problems”, anti-rheumatic yoga can help loosen the joints and remove “energy blockages in the joints” and limbs. June highlighted that Pranayama (controlled breathing exercise) and meditation have a calming effect, which helps the body to relax and is believed to “prolong the human lifespan”.
June can help your elderly loved ones age with grace. Click below to book. June also offers classes for all age groups including therapeutic yoga, children yoga, and prenatal yoga. Check out her classes here!
When dealing with the older age group, June often gets asked: “I’m not flexible so will the classes suit me?” A regular workshop for the elderly involves “chair yoga”, catered to participants who aren’t supple enough to sit on the floor. These classes are facilitated differently with modified yoga postures, where they incorporated cushions and towels as support tools.
June shared a story about one of her clients, a 60-plus-year-old stroke patient. He’s been debilitated by the aftermath for 15 years until recently. He could only afford slow and rigid movements. Through yoga, June has been assisting him with rehabilitation for the past four months, and every week he’s made progress, which they've documented on camera. He’s even attempted to swim! June explained that she’s also helped clients with mild depression using yoga, seeing results in one year.
In June’s personal life, yoga has enabled her to recover fast from the accident as well as help her “achieve self-healing, self-improvement, and self-awareness”. June’s story is a testament to how beneficial yoga can be to the body and mind. “It helps me excel in life, business, sports, and relationship,” she concluded.
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