Reaching Out to the Medical Community - Winter 2008

Little known facts: BTC has been participating increasingly in various ways to promote awareness of tai chi’s health benefits, particularly in the medical community. They include having our students studied by Osher Institute, inviting guest lecturers such as Dr. Peter Wayne to build medical literacy in theBTC community, giving presentations in hospitals to physicians and medical students, working with EnergyArts to develop a ‘medical press kit,’ and taking part in a city-wide collaboration among tai chi schools (being fostered byDr.Wayne) to increase the cross-over with medical research.

Our new “Tai Chi for Aging Bodies” brochure is a logical outreach tool to promote dialogue on this subject. We’re hoping our students will help support the Water WayArts mission by distributing it whenever they go for medical appointments. We focused on the connection between tai chi and aging well both because of the 11 need for a rapidly aging population to stay active, mobile, and healthy and because the most dramatic, measurable research results have shown tai chi’s benefits for older people. The 60-90 age group, especially those not accustomed to exercise, is the most frequently researched. Studies point to positive impacts on conditions ranging from balance, muscoloskeletal flexibility, and osteoporosis to cardio-respiratory and immune system function, emotional well- being and stress relief.

BTC has a long-standing seniors program for people who, because of age or physical limitations, prefer daytime classes, exercises that incorporate sitting, and less detailed choreography than an entire tai chi form. We are actively promoting awareness of tai chi as a safe and effective “intervention” for multiple conditions.