Wrists and knees and table balance

I specialize in teaching yoga to seniors, and strive to help improve their strength, flexibility and balance.  But I also have to modify poses and moves based on who's in the class.  One of the sequences I really like to do is table-child-table balance (where you balance on one knee and hand, while the opposite leg and arm are extended.  The pose improves balance and strength, but since you're close to the floor, it's a safer way to practice balance than standing.

But especially in two of my classes, people either have knee or wrist issues that make table and table balance difficult.  In another class, one lady has rheumatoid arthritis, and her wrists are swollen and painful.  I've offered modifications to people--for wrist issues, they can rest on their fists, for knees they can do poses and moves in a chair or near a wall.  For the arms, people can also balance on their forearms, but that is more challenging for the low back, especially if they aren't able to keep a firm low belly.

I'm thinking I should eliminate table and table balance from my senior repertiore--but then I need to add other poses and moves to compensate.  I may still try to do low plank and puppy/down dog, which start with table but don't stay there.  We'll see.  I'll need to add more seated work, and more standing (including at the wall).  Chairs aren't an option in two classes--the chairs they have are too big and cumbersome.  And I tried the folding chairs in another class, but they seemed to get in the way more than anything.  And I don't think people will want to sit in chairs--I think they pride themselves on being able to do "real yoga"--once they start sitting in chairs, it's "chair yoga".  For old people who can't do "real yoga".  Or maybe I'm just imagining that.  They all are able to get up from the floor to standing and back down again--a big plus.  I just need to be creative.  With senior yoga, the range of poses may be more limited than with a regular class, but there are more options for creative warm-ups, stretches and balances.

I wish I had a network of senior yoga instructors to consult with and learm from; mabye through Yoga Alliance we can develop that.