'Now I can bend and meet people virtually in my home': The experience of a remotely supervised online chair yoga intervention and visual socialisation among older adults with dementia

Abstract

Background: Little research has been conducted on telehealth-based interventions in older adults. There has been no study of the use of telehealth-based online chair yoga (CY) to improve physical activity and manage dementia symptoms and socialisation for older adults with dementia who are socially isolated.

Objectives: The study identified benefits, challenges and facilitators in participating in remotely supervised online CY from the perspective of older adults with dementia and their caregivers, including what would help them to participate in online interventions.

Methods: In a qualitative descriptive design, four online focus groups (two pre-intervention and two post-intervention) conducted via videoconference explored the benefits, challenges and facilitators in participating in a remotely supervised twice-weekly, 8-week online CY intervention. A total of 17 participants (eight people with dementia and nine family caregivers) attended the focus groups. The data were subjected to thematic analysis.

Results: Thematic analysis of data identified three themes from the perspectives of older adults with dementia and their caregivers: (a) benefits (e.g. sleep and relaxation, emotional regulation, flexibility, muscle strength, convenience, caregiver-participant connection), (b) challenges (e.g. technological setup) and (c) lessons learned (e.g. inclusion of caregiver, yoga instructor, visual cues, socialisation, safety). The online intervention was beneficial to participants, who reported that they wanted to continue home-based online CY practice.

Conclusion: Convenience was the major advantage for the participant to continue to practice online CY. The online intervention offered virtual socialisation, which could be significant for motivating older adults to continue the CY program.

Implications for practice: Gerontological nurses could add CY as a nonpharmacological component of a treatment plan and monitor older adults' progress during the online intervention. The home-based online CY intervention should be prioritised to promote health and wellness in socially isolated older adults with dementia.

Keywords: dementia; family caregivers; older adults; online chair yoga; technology.