Hi Catrynn! I'm not 60 yet, but I have a bit of arthritis in the hips, knees, elbows. The pain comes and goes.
I do two things to help my body along:
1. Diet to help control inflammation, which for me includes:
* Whole grain foods such as oatmeal
* Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and ginger
* Nuts such as pistachios, almonds, and pumpkin seeds
* Oils such as sesame oil and almond oil
* Herbs from my garden
* Lots of dark leafy greens. I don't digest these very readily, so I like them cooked.
* Meats such as wild-caught salmon and sardines
* Supplements such as fish oil and glucosamine.
* Black and green tea
And I avoid things like soda and iced drinks. Sometimes I stay away from coffee, but not always.
2. Therapeutic exercises and asanas. As fas as asanas go... If it hurts, I don't do it. One of the asanas teachers at the yoga studio in town says that she leads the yoga class, but our bodies teach us the yoga. Just listen to your body and do what it wants.
My favorite gentle inversion:
* Two legged table: Lay on your back and bring your feet close to your hips. If you have knee problems, it's okay for your knees to be a little wider than your hips. Pull your navel up and in toward your spine. This starts to tilt your tailbone upward. When your hips are tilted as far as they will go using your abdominals, contract your buttocks and gently, one vertebra at a time, lift your hips off the ground until your hips are as high as is comfortable. During this time, your neck, shoulders and arms, face, etc. are completely relaxed. Arms are resting next to your torso. Hold the pose for as long as is comfortable and then gently, one vertebra at a time, bring the hips back down to the floor. Finally, relax everything and allow your hips to tilt back into a natural curve for the spine. Think of it as a massage for your back muscles as you allow the hips to come back down.
I hope that explanation makes sense. I'll let others chime in with other gentle inversions.
Yoga is comfortable and effortless. There's no forcing, so just do what you can. All the best to you!