Integrative Yoga for Seniors Professional Training is an 8-day program for Yoga Teachers that combines the best of evidenced-based research with the ancient wisdom of yoga. Structured on the foundation of the physiology of aging, this program offers a framework for Yoga Teachers to safely provide specific recommendations when teaching yoga to older adults.
The program will cover:
Program developers Kimberly Carson and Carol Krucoff have extensive experience teaching yoga to vulnerable populations and provide hands-on training in safely modifying postures for older adults, especially those new to yoga. Faculty lecturers, including Duke physicians, exercise physiologists, physical therapists and health psychologists cover health conditions common to seniors, such as heart disease, arthritis and osteoporosis. We also explore special issues related to elderly students, including pain management, fall prevention, and palliative care.
“I’ve always felt safety was the primary consideration but I didn’t really have the tools I needed other than my own intuition and common sense, which is valuable of course, but now I have professional and evidence informed information that will allow me to keep my students safe as they experience all the benefits of yoga.”
“Where do I begin? The entire experience exceeded my expectations. The quality of the instruction was superb and I left feeling much more comfortable to work with older adults safely.”
“This program has so much to teach. The information about how our bodies work, the insights into aging, and the lessons in compassion and connection would benefit everyone, not just yogis. This is so much more than an educational experience. It is an experience in what it is to be human.”
“I appreciated the professionalism & integrity Carol & Kimberly bring to this program. I liked the yoga therapy approach to bringing in leaders in different medical specialties to emphasize the aging human body and the conditions we must, as teachers, be keenly aware of.”
Carol Krucoff joins Amy Wheeler on The Yoga Therapy Hour for a candid conversation where they discuss a bit of the history of the Integrative Yoga for Seniors Professional Program at Duke Integrative Medicine, the benefits of yoga for older adults, some of the risks associated with the practice for aging bodies, and a bit of Carol’s own journey with yoga and how her personal practice has changed over time to accommodate the needs of her body in every new season
In The Yoga for Seniors “Continuum of Practice” article published in the July 2023 issue of Geriatric Rehabilitation, Carol Krucoff and Kimberly Carson discuss the Continuum of Practice, an evidence-based methodology they developed to create safe and effective posture modifications for elderly yoga practitioners
Read the article featured in the January 2021 issue of OBM Geriatrics by Carol and Kimberly: Relax into Yoga for Seniors: An Evidence-Informed Update for Enhancing Yoga Practice Benefits by Reducing Risk in a Uniquely Vulnerable Age Group.
Next Avenue by Carol (April 2021): 6 Strategies for Practicing Safe Yoga at Home
The Washington Post by Carol (December 2017): More older people are doing yoga, but they are also racking up injuries
Empowering Seniors One Breath at a Time, read one of our program graduates’ experience as she shares the positive impact that attending the program has had on her career
In Making Yoga Accessible to Seniors Carol Krucoff addresses the increased demand for adequate and tailored training needed by professionals wishing to work with older adults
In Some Commonly Taught Yoga Poses May Present Risks for Older Adults Carol Krucoff specifically discusses some commonly used yoga poses that may present risks for older adults and invites yoga teachers to learn how to safely teach yoga to their older students
Accommodations Statement
Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations or who have questions about physical access should contact us in advance of the program.
Students have the opportunity to earn a total of 50.0 Yoga Alliance continuing education units.
Students have the opportunity to earn a total of 50.0 credits from the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
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