February 3, 2015 – Englewood Hospital and Medical Center (EHMC) is offering free monthly yoga classes to caregivers. The classes include therapeutic yoga, breath work, and meditation and are designed for family members or medical professionals caring for loved ones or patients with life-threatening illnesses.
Classes run the first Thursday of every month, from 4 to 5 p.m., in Conference Rooms A & B at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, 350 Engle Street, Englewood, NJ.
According to a 2011 report by AARP, more than 42 million Americans provide uncompensated care to a loved one at any given time. With an aging population that continues to grow, that number is expected to increase.
“Caregivers are under a lot of strain, rushing a loved one from appointment to appointment, getting medication, rushing them to the ER in the middle of the night. They need space to breathe, to recoup and get their energy back,” said Dr. Minaxi Jhawer, a hematologist-oncologist at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. “The better a caregiver copes, the better the patient copes.”
Jhawer started EHMC’s first yoga class for triple negative breast cancer patients in 2014. EHMC has been steadily expanding its roster of free yoga classes for patients to include cancer and cardiothoracic patients. The free programs are made possible by the Center for Integrative Medicine and Kula for Karma and are led by a Certified Yoga Alliance Teacher with advanced training
“By offering yoga classes, EHMC is offering a comprehensive, integrated health and wellness plan that goes beyond diagnosis and treatment,” said Jhawer. “These classes offer a place for patients and caregivers to step back, take a deep breath and support one another.”