The Pitfalls of Teaching T’ai Chi to Assisted Living Residents

Submitted August 30, 2006

When it comes to T’ai Chi Chih, there is one given: all T’ai Chi Chih teachers love T’ai Chi Chih! They will do anything to offer classes and promote the benefits of TCC! Yet to the unseasoned teacher, there are many pitfalls when “taking T’ai Chi Chih on the road,” especially into Assisted Living Residences. This article presents the two-fold pitfall I call inertia.

Many residents in Assisted Living are coping with physical challenges, confusion, depression, limited energy, and loss of ability to function or even live independently. Many have lived active and productive lives. But now find themselves in limbo, in a place they don’t call home, with other people who can be rude or disruptive at times. Most do not want to be there, really…but of necessity, they have to be.

Often they find that coping with physical, mental and emotional issues are overwhelming. Coupled with strong medications and other changes, they simply withdraw. This could mean sleeping a lot during the day, sitting and staring off into space, showing lack of interest or curiosity in others or even chatting with others. It can be summed up with one word: inertia.

Here is the real dilemma, the hard questions that TCC teachers must ask themselves when presenting T’ai Chi Chih to these residents:

– Should I keep the same standards I have with active adult TCC classes or should I look the other way if these people don’t understand what I’m presenting?

– Should I sit and chat with them, telling stories and jokes, doing some “easy” warm ups (not part of TCC), or should I expect more from my seniors?

– Should I expect them to stand and move, rather than sit passively, watching me move?

– Should I expect them to participate in discussion and sharing rather than allow them to watch passively and fall asleep?

– Should I take the easy way out…just entertain them….relate to them personally and make them feel good…talking about their medical problems….and let the TCC movements slide away?

– Does it really matter? After all they will never be TCC teachers…

– Does anyone really care, if the residence is willing to pay me to relate to their residents and don’t care what we as TCC teachers do?

– Shall I blur the lines between TCC movements and movement in general….and just do a couple of moves but make sure we are “having fun?”

Friends…the pitfalls of inertia are real and deadly to the residents and to the TCC teacher. These pitfalls are not easy to overcome. But THEY MUST BE!

As TCC teachers, we work hard to become accredited and agree to uphold the standards and integrity of the practice and the form. As “carriers of T’ai Chi Chih to the world,” we are the role models that others look to for inspiration and guidance. If we compromise our standards, our expectations of our students and ourselves, we hurt our students, ourselves, and our fellow TCC teachers. With so many of us teaching older adults and special populations now in all kinds of settings, it is tempting to take the easy way out.

Currently, I am offering TCC in an Assisted Living Residence and have experienced these problems of inertia. I am constantly aware that I must verbally set the standards for class participation every week. I must strongly encourage the residents to stand and move, to engage in discussion and ask questions. Some students are limited by their physical abilities, but given that, here are some further suggestions that might even be posted in the facility or activity room for all students to read:

Guidelines for Participation in T’ai Chi Chih Class

1. Residents who come to TCC class are expected to participate physically, doing either standing or seated TCC.

2. Residents who can walk independently are encouraged to do TCC standing. If they cannot stand, they can do seated TCC.

3. Residents are expected to practice on their own during the week so that they will experience the health benefits.

4. Residents are expected to participate in discussion and sharing during class.

5. The teacher will give positive comments and helpful feedback to individuals in class, so that students will know how they are progressing.

6. The teacher will encourage students to set personal goals. The goals should be realistic and attainable, perhaps learning to perform a few TCC moves that they can do independently.

We need to help them to take control of their life by resisting the dreaded disease called inertia. We need to encourage them to value T’ai Chi Chih for themselves and to be good role models for other residents. Both the teacher and students can then embody the practice of Joy Thru Movement!

To my TCC friends who are working with special groups of seniors, good teaching and good luck! To continue this dialogue, write Let’s keep this discussion going.