Title: An Exploration of the Experiences of Older Adults Practicing Yoga in Community Centres in Vancouver
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Laura Hurd
Committee Members: Dr. Erica Bennett, Dr. Brian Wilson
Chair: Dr. Liv Yoon
Abstract: By 2068, it is predicted that in Canada there will be around 3.5 million people aged 85 and over (Statistics Canada, 2022c). Older adults are Canada’s most physically inactive group (Health Canada, 2002). Exercise and rehabilitation studies have found that yoga is particularly suitable for older adults as it is a gentle way of increasing strength and flexibility, improving respiratory and circulatory function, and addressing pain management needs (Regan et al., 2022). Yoga is a practice of pairing movement with breath work, which is marketed as a beneficial activity for older adults (Regan et al., 2022), but to date, the socio-cultural research has primarily focused on younger and middle-aged practitioners engaged in yoga in private studios (see, for example, Campeau-Bouthillier, 2021 and table 1). These studies have found that students perceive yoga as an activity which improves their psychological (Kishida et al, 2018) and physical health (Regan et al., 2022). However, yoga in private studios can be expensive and physically inaccessible (Pickett & Cunningham, 2017), and since older adults are often on fixed incomes and may have mobility restrictions, they could face physical and financial accessibility issues. In contrast, community centres aim to be culturally, physically, financially, and architecturally accessible (City of Vancouver, 2023). As well as offering a wide array of yoga classes aimed specifically at older adults, community centres typically have fee schedules that are more affordable than their private studio counterparts (City of Vancouver, 2023). Community centres are important locations to study as potential spaces in which older adults can be physically active and socially connected (Fortune & Butler, 2023).
To explore older adults’ experiences of doing yoga in community centres, this research will be guided by age relations theory (Calasanti, 2020). Using the City of Vancouver’s definition of an older adult, I will conduct one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 15-20 individuals aged 55 and over. To gain additional insights into how yoga classes are developed and marketed as well as the ways that assumptions about aging underpin their structure and delivery, I will also interview five to eight community centre staff members (including yoga teachers, front desk staff, and decision-makers). I intend to recruit those who have practiced yoga in community centres in Vancouver regularly, intermittently, or infrequently in the last five years. I will also aim to recruit a sample that is diverse with respect to age, social class, race, health status, and ability. I will recruit participants through social media groups, local radio stations, newspapers, and posters which I will put up in community centers, and on community pinboards. My research will seek to answer the following question: How do older adults experience and perceive yoga in community centres in Vancouver? I intend to explore the meanings that participants attribute to their experiences of doing yoga in a community space as an older adult. I will explore the age relations that are at play when yoga classes are designed, taught, and experienced. Analyzing these age relations will allow for an investigation of the participants’ internalized messages about aging and physical activity. My data will be analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019). Building on previous studies, my findings will offer insights into older adults’ yoga and physical activity practices, their perspectives on community centres, and their experiences of growing older. Investigating older adults’ perceptions of and experiences in their yoga classes could also reveal important information about how to structure classes to foster meaningful physical activity, regular attendance, and social connections