Candor tai chi classes resume Monday, March 16. Tai chi, a series of slow and focused movements, is low impact. The exercise is ideal for people with arthritis, because it puts minimal stress on muscles and joints
Tai chi also helps people improve balance. The Candor tai chi classes are offered as part of New York’s “Falls Prevention” initiative, a joint effort between the New York State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goal – to reduce falls.
Every year, one in three adults aged 65 and older experiences a fall. Fall-related injuries result in more hospitalizations than any other causes – nearly five times more than for other injuries. And treatment for those injuries is costing our health care system more than $30 billion each year.
Tai chi is one of the most effective exercises to prevent falls. Many medical studies show that doing tai chi improves balance, strengthens leg muscles, and decreases the risk of falls. There are other benefits as well, including reduced arthritis pain and increased flexibility. A recent Harvard study showed that regular tai chi practice improves balance and motor control in Parkinson’s disease, and there is evidence that tai chi practice may help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Candor tai chi classes begin March 16 and will run on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Candor Emergency Squad building, 58 Main St. There will also be a class for continuing students, and another 8-week class to be offered later in the spring.
Each session includes warm-up and cool-down exercises as well as Tai Chi forms and take-home materials. Classes are one-hour each, meeting two times per week for eight weeks. The instructor is certified through the Tai Chi for Health Institute and has taught tai chi in the surrounding area for a number of years.
Fees for spring classes are based on a sliding scale of $16, $32, or $48 for the eight weeks, thanks to a small grant from Candor Community Services Corporation. The first 12 people to register will receive a free night light, courtesy of the New York State Department of Health.
For more information, or to register for a class, contact Sue at (607) 659-3022 or by email to sueheaven@gmail.com
