Visiting Angels West Springfield is proud to sponsor free weekly chair yoga classes for seniors or anyone who would like to join!
These classes are held every Monday at 1:30pm at Brownstone Gardens 1 at 75 Pleasant Street, East Longmeadow, located in the community room. They are taught by Sheila Magalhaes of Heartsong Yoga.
These weekly classes began in summer 2020, in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. This time was tough for everyone, especially the elderly population. Not only are they the most vulnerable population to the severest symptoms of the illness, but also maintaining a social life in the community is imperative for their mental wellness. According to lifeline.com, at least 20% of people over the age of 70 suffer from depression and excessive time alone is a major contributing factor. The shutdown forced many seniors to spend the majority of their time inside, alone, without any activity.
Michele Astett, owner of Visiting Angels West Springfield, knew that there had to be something that we could do in response to this problem, a service we could offer at no cost to those who needed it most.
This was when Michele and her team at Visiting Angels birthed the idea of sponsoring weekly chair yoga classes, free to anyone who wanted to join, especially the seniors of Pleasant Valley Senior Center in East Longmeadow.
After the idea was approved by the town, Sheila Magalhaes taught the first class in September of 2020. Chairs were set far apart to meet social distancing guidelines and over 20 seniors showed up to participate. Three years later, the classes have grown immensely, including men and women of all ages, the oldest being 102 according to Sheila!
“One of my greatest pleasures as a studio owner and a yoga teacher in our community,” Sheila Magalhaes describes, “is working with the seniors who live in my hometown. . . . [These yoga classes helped] to help alleviate the stress and anxiety brought about by the challenges of not being able to enjoy social connections and movement, two of the most important aspects of longevity and happiness. . . Having the Visiting Angels as our sponsor means that there are no financial barriers to attending classes, and we are grateful for their ongoing support.”
This activity has become a hit among the Pleasant Valley seniors since the summer of 2020. Because of this, Visiting Angels continues to offer these Monday afternoon classes free for all who would like to join. If interested, please call Brownstone Gardens at 413-525-4596.
Visiting Angels West Springfield provides elder in-home care to seniors and veterans located across the Pioneer Valley including Springfield, West Springfield, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Agawam, Ludlow, Westfield, Southwick, Chicopee, Feeding Hills, Indian Orchard, Holyoke, Southampton, and Montgomery.