‘Seated’ TCC Featured on Local TV Station

Prepared by R. Taggart in collaboration with Sandy McAlister

Sandy McAlister (Hayward, CA) and Lois Mahaney (San Lorenzo, CA) were featured guests last January on Transitions, a local TV program focusing on senior issues and events. The program is moderated by Gerontology Specialist, Helen Ketchum, M.P.A. who invited the two to present a program on TCC which was entitled “T’ai Chi Chih For Your Health and Balance.”

Lois Mahaney fielded questions from Ketchum about TCC, stating that TCC is a “simple, non-strenuous type of movement … you can relax into it.” When asked by Ketchum, “Why TCC instead of just T’ai Chi?” Mahaney replied that TCC is “based on the same principles as Ch’uan, which is the one you usually see done in the parks. The man who developed this [TCC] was a T’ai Chi Ch’uan Master, and he found that people couldn’t learn it in a short amount of time. So he developed these 19 movements and one posture that can be learned in 8 lessons if you practice.”

Ketchum commented that “Statistics show that 30% of those aged 65 and over fall at least once a year. Further studies are showing that falls are reduced by 25% if people take even ten weeks of T’ai Chi.”

Mahaney responded by saying, “Yes, but they have to practice.”

Mahaney also stated that T’ai Chi “enhance[s] people’s balance, and [gives] them a more peaceful attitude in life.”

McAlister noted that “‘seated’ TCC is gaining in popularity with seniors who have physically limiting conditions or illnesses which prevent them from being able to stand on their feet for a long period.”

Six students from McAlister’s TCC class at Casa Sandoval Retirement Community in Hayward, CA performed 10 minutes of ‘seated’ TCC on the air.

Here are comments by three of the students on how TCC has helped them:

Rose Borla: “… relaxing, has helped my walking and my arthritis.”

Mary Cunha: “I feel better after class.”

Troje Cossich: “I like exercise. Anything that’s good for me, I like to do it.”

Lois Mahaney concluded the program by reading poetry from Spiritual Notes by Steve Ridley, a well-known teacher from Denver, CO.

Note: This program has aired twice. Helen Ketchum suggested the audience tape the program and use it to try out the TCC moves.