Tri County Sentry

WORLD TAI CHI DAY BENEFITS SENIORS



 

Oxnard–East Park became a celebration of one world and one breath on April 30, as World Tai Chi Day welcomed plenty of seniors, but everyone was welcome.

THE event, presented by RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and the City of Oxnard, joined global Tai Chi sessions and demonstrations.

Tai Chi is “an evidence-based fall prevention program for older adults.”

Instructor Maria Combs volunteers her services and teaches a simplified version of the Tai Chi 24 Form Yang Style.

“This is specifically tailored to older adults to address balance concerns,” she said. “This program has been known to reduce repeat falls by 55 percent.”

She said getting started is easy, and several instructors teach throughout different venues.

“It’s a 12-week session, and you attend twice a week for 60 or 90 minutes, depending on the program,” Combs said. “After the 12- week session, it has been known to make some really good progress in preventing falls.”

 

She said the program is very accessible.

“Even if you have a cane or some kind of assistive device, you can do the form sitting down,” she said. “This is a mind, body, spirit exercise without doing anything too physically taxing. That’s why it’s so appealing for older adults.”

She got involved with Tai Chi when she turned 55.

“I’m a senior now, so what can I do,” she said. “I was working and getting ready to reinvent myself, and I knew that I wanted to do something like this. I’m a yoga instructor, so I’m already into the mind, body, and spirit practice. This was a fabulous way to give back to the community.”

RSVP Director and Recreation Supervisor Marisue Eastlake said they’ve been celebrating World Tai Chi Day for three years, and it’s great fun to see it all come together in one place.

“Covid-19 put a complete halt to all of our classes,” she said. “We were stopped for 18 months, I think. We went online, so we had classes online, and we weren’t meeting in person at all and followed the city’s protocols.”

 

She said the program hasn’t fully recovered, and it’s half the size it was before the pandemic hit.

“We have trained and certified instructors who know their stuff and love the program,” she said to people thinking about getting involved. “We have a class starting May 9 outside at Oxnard Beach Park.

Toni Nevitt said they’ve been doing Tai Chi at Oxnard Beach Park since Covid-19 started.

“We have about 30 people who come twice a week,” she said. “We continue to do it every 10-12 weeks, and they love it. It’s a beautiful setting.”

She said the average student’s balance improves tremendously by the end of the class.

“The people we see trying to navigate grass from when we first start are incredible,” she said. “When the class is over, their balance is incredible.”

 

Phyllis Kittner is 88, and she finds Tai Chi to be a very valuable part of her life.

“I’m able to walk every day, and I have not fallen,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that I am okay before I have a problem.”

She admits that she’s not graceful but said the group supported her, and it turned out nicely.

“There is also a nice sense of community, and I love going there and being with the people,” she said. “We also have it on Zoom, and that is wonderful.”

She loves all the volunteers.

“They are dedicated, wonderful, and patient,” she said. “I have a friend who is going to be 95 on the Zoom class because she doesn’t get out, and she said it is wonderful. She said I can’t believe you don’t pay for this. It’s free and fun. We have a wonderful group and love it.”

Cathie Schmalholz said she’d been involved with Tai Chi since November 2020.

“It’s good for your health; it’s good for your physical well-being, so you gain balance and don’t fall and break a hip when you get older,” she said. “I always wanted to do Tai Chi, and when Covid-19 came around, there was not a lot going on, and this was something that you can do. There were circles in the park; it was outside, you were masked, and it was something you can do in your community with other people, so you weren’t alone.”

She said it didn’t take long to become adept at Tai Chi, and she was doing well after a five-week session at TCMBB (Tai Chi Moving For Better Balance) with Toni at the park twice a week.

Her husband Richard said he supports Cathie.

“I go to work, and she goes to Tai Chi,” Richard said.

For more information, visit vcaaa.org or call 805-385-8019.

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