The Wareham Council on Aging is offering yoga with a twist this summer thanks to instructor Pam Paquette.

Chair yoga offers aging yogis adapted poses and exercises that they can do right from their seats, helping to improve balance and other muscle functions.

"The idea is that anyone can do it," Paquette said. "Canes, wheelchairs and walkers are no obstacle here."

Paquette, who also teaches yoga at the Gleason Family YMCA, said she came up with the idea for offering the class during her certification.

"There are a lot of benefits that come from doing yoga," she said. "I wanted to make those benefits accessible to everyone."

Chair yoga meets for an hour each Thursday at 1 p.m. at the COA. There, Paquette teaches her students about mindfulness and other key tenets of yoga.

"I think this class had helped to forge a lot of friendships too," Paquette said. "People who haven't seen each other in years reconnect here, and when class is done, no one really wants to go home."

"Programs like these are why the COA is so important," said yoga student Nan Rafter. "We're very fortunate to have this."