Raj Yoga Meditation and Its Effects on Quality of Life among the Elderly

Background: The population all over the world is ageing. The elderly are more susceptible to a decline in Quality of life due to many reasons. Therefore, identifying the most effective forms of care and intervention is crucial to significantly enhancing the quality of life for the elderly. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 104 Raj Yoga Meditators in Anand, Gujarat. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, duration of meditation practice, and morbidity conditions. To measure quality of life Old People's Quality of Life-BRIEF (OPQOL Brief) scale was used. Univariate and bivariate analyses were employed to describe and compare the quality of life. Statistical analyses were conducted using the STATA 19 software. Results: The average age of the study participants was 67±5 years. Most of the study participants, 61 (58.6%) were female. The average duration for practicing meditation was 15 years. The average quality of life score was 56.1±3.9, and the percentage mean score was 86%. The maximum percentage mean score (96%) was for the Psychological Well-being domain. Fewer than half of the participants, 44(42.3%), had morbidity conditions. No statistically significant differences in quality of life were observed with any sociodemographic variable. Conclusion: Among elderly Raj yoga meditators, the Quality of life was excellent. Most of the meditators did not suffer from morbidity. The findings of this study suggest that incorporating Raj Yoga meditation into the daily routine may be highly beneficial for the elderly population. Key words: Raj Yoga Meditation, Elderly, Quality of life