Tai Chi for health & wellbeing
I had a very busy week last week delivering Chair Chi workshops for residents in aged care centres and teachers in schools – nine workshops in total!
The Chair Chi sessions for teachers started early this term; after sending out an expression of interest I’ve had four schools interested and booked. One school wanted a four week program which I’m half way through now.
I was going through my notes on the Chair Chi sessions I’ve run for residents in aged care centres here in Melbourne (outer eastern suburbs) and discovered some interesting statistics.
I’m currently working on new workshops for residents, a staff development program and a conference/meetings presentation which hopefully will add to the statistics above and to the enjoyment of working in the aged care sector.
She joined our Chair Chi exercise session circle after it started and said, ‘I’ll just watch’, sat down, crossed her feet, folded her arms and just stared at me.
All I said was, ‘you are welcome to join in’ and continued on teaching the other aged care residents.
I cracked a joke, which I sometimes do, and she cracked a smile with the other residents. After she smiled she started to make a small effort to participate which was encouraging.
I had another pleasant experience at an aged care centre after I finished running a Chair Chi session recently.
One of the residents in a wheel chair waited patiently while I was talking to someone else. I noticed she waved away some one who tried to talk to her so I politely finished my conversation and turned to her and said, ‘Hi’.
A couple of days ago I ran another Chair Chi session for an aged care center and the residents ages ranged from 90 to 103 years-old. That’s over 1543 years of age!
What an amazing experience. It certainly reaffirmed my belief that age is not a barrier to practicing Chi exercises that can help calm and also energise when required.