A Systematic Review of the Outcomes of Therapeutic Yoga With Older Adults

PURPOSE: This review will determine in what ways older adults can benefit from therapeutic yoga interventions. Yoga is an emerging mindfulness-based intervention that has the potential to address age-related challenges and health risk factors. It has been linked to benefits in mental and physical well-being in younger populations and appeals to older adults in that it is cost-effective, low impact, and community-based. Understanding the strength of evidence related to yoga intervention outcomes will lead to improved occupational therapy intervention planning and services.

DESIGN AND METHOD: A systematic review was conducted to investigate the outcomes related to fall risk and sleep following yoga interventions with older adults. A search of PubMed, Cochrane Review, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus were completed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Peer-reviewed articles published within the past 10 yr were included if they used a form of yoga as a therapeutic intervention for adults (age 65+) and included qualitative or quantitative outcomes related to fall risk and sleep. Levels of evidence I through V were included for review. Articles were excluded from the review if the population had a specific condition not attributed to normal aging.

RESULTS: A total of 13 articles met our inclusion criteria for review: six relating to sleep quality and seven focusing on balance following a yoga intervention in older adults. There is moderate evidence to suggest that yoga can significantly decrease fall risk in older adults, and strong evidence that yoga intervention can improve the quality of sleep in this population.

IMPACT STATEMENT: Current research regarding yoga has emphasized the benefits of the practice; however, there is little comprehensive research summarizing how yoga can be used therapeutically with older adults. Age-related concerns such as fall risk confounded by poor sleep quality can be addressed simultaneously through a yoga intervention, as evidenced by this review. Yoga provides older adults a unique, low-impact exercise that addresses the mind and body while providing increased opportunities for social interaction. The research shows that yoga benefits occupational performance. As the baby boomer generation ages, there is an increased need for appropriate interventions for older adults, and yoga provides an evidence-based alternative to traditional exercise in addressing concerns related to falling.

References

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Halpern, J., Cohen, M., Kennedy, G., Reece, J., Cahan, C., & Baharav, A. (2014). Yoga for improving sleep quality and quality of life for older adults. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 20(3), 37–46.

Ni, M., Mooney, K., Richards, L., Balachandran, A., Sun, M., Harriell, K., . . . Signorile, J. F. (2014). Comparative impacts of Tai Chi, balance training, and a specially-designed yoga program on balance in older fallers. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95, 1620–1628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2014.04.022

Tiedemann, A., O’Rourke, S., Sesto, R., & Sherrington, C. (2013). A 12-week Iyengar yoga program improved balance and mobility in older community-dwelling people: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 68, 1068–1075. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glt087