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A pioneering Warkworth Tai Chi class specifically targeting those with neurological disorders is believed to be the first of its kind in New Zealand and possibly the world.
Taoist Tai Chi instructor Richard Berry got the idea for the class after stroke survivor Laura Drewet dropped out of a regular Tai Chi class after just 10 minutes.
She returned the following year but again found the exercises impossible after just a few minutes.
The incidents troubled Richard given one of the aims of Taoist Tai Chi is that it be available to all.
“I thought the reality is it is not open to all, because Laura can’t participate. How can we make that possible?” he says.
Richard began talking to support groups dealing with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, strokes and aphasia to figure out how Tai Chi might be adapted to meet their needs.
Tai Chi seemed especially appropriate for such sufferers because of its reputation for improving memory, concentration and balance – qualities those with neurological conditions usually lack.
After further talking to Laura and others, Richard formulated some “dos and don’ts” for how a class might work.
He found success by breaking down a traditional Tai Chi lesson into smaller bite-sized chunks and ensuring there was a high ratio of helpers to participants, giving participants confidence that they would not fall.
Class participant and Parkinson’s sufferer Frank Lawrence says the class has helped enormously in terms of improving his balance and mental acuity.
He says those with neurological conditions are often recommended to learn something new, such as the piano or chess, but the advantage of Tai Chi is that it stretches both the mind and the body together.
“Tai Chi has got a multitude of new steps and postures and names of moves. Every time you come to
Tai Chi you are forcing the brain to create new neurological pathways that make the brain more efficient,” he says.
Frank adds that being in a class of individuals struggling with similar issues is great for reducing anxiety and finding acceptance.
Richard says it’s encouraging to see the progress the class has made over the last six months.
“You start off thinking they are never going to be able to do it. Then you find them beginning to do complex sequences,” he says.
He finds his class a real inspiration.
“When we have finished a class, there’s a real buzz. I think, ‘You guys are here with this incredible disability and you are out there doing it’. I think that’s amazing.”
The Tai Chi class meets at 10am on Thursdays at the Warkworth Scout Hall at Shoesmith Domain.
Info: Richard 022 061 2378
