Be like a delicate flower and practice Tai Chi with an Alzheimer’s patient.
Tai Chi Tuesdays
Two weeks ago Lorrie and I started practicing Tai Chi with Dad on Tuesday evenings. We perform the seven different moves that Lorrie and Dad learned last winter in the MADRC Tai Chi study. The first is just deep breathing; second, the shoulder lift; third, is what we call, raising the ball & pushing it down; fourth, is wax on, wax off; fifth, is the puppet; seventh, is walking heel toe and then toe heel in a circle. All of these moves we do eight to ten times to easy listening music. Dad starts out thinking he can’t do it, and as he follows Lorrie, to the music, he becomes smoother and smoother in his moves. Last week I was amazed at how Dad watched and followed Lorrie so completely. After about a half hour we then listen to some forties music, especially Bing Crosby’s “Swingin On A Star,” which is Dad’s favorite. We are hoping to do this every Tuesday throughout the winter.
Tai Chi movements are like being a delicate flower swaying purposefully in a light breeze.
"What we see depends upon where we sit.” Ram Dass - This is the opening quote to chapter 5 of Alzheimer’s Early Stages by Daniel Kuhn (82).
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