To Helen and others interested in Tai Chi
posting made possible because old issues of our newsletter
are on disk
Anne Rutherford
 
 TAI CHI - Parkinson  Patients Take Charge Of Their Own Care
 
From the Newfoundland Newsletter Vol 5 Num 1 March 1994
(Published by the Newfoundland chapters and support groups
--the Parkinson Foundation of Canada)
Originally appeared in the Toronto Star
Contacts:  Provincial Resource Centre   voice (709) 754 4428
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In the basement of a North Toronto apartment building, more than a dozen
people gather every Wednesday afternoon.  Mostly seniors, they all suffer
from Parkinson's - an illness characterized by stiff joints, poor balance
and slow unsteady movement.
 
Many of these people have difficulty doing up buttons, walking more than
a few metres or rolling over in bed.  Some of them spend most of their
day in a wheelchair.  And yet, dressed in sweat suits and running shoes
they will practice the ancient Chinese exercise called Tai Chi for the
next hour.
 
Gently and gracefully, they will bend, stretch and turn in an impressive
series of movements. They will stop, walk down to the end of the room,
and repeat the sequence.
 
By doing so, these people are part of an important change in the way we
deal with medical problems.  They are among a growing number of
individuals who have begun to take an active role in their own health
care, who are improving the quality of their lives through avenues which
are distinct from - and yet in harmony with - the treatment they receive
from their doctors.
 
The potential benefits of such a  approach are significant.  We live in a
society which often demands immediate results. From instant coffee to
banking machines, we place a high value on speed and convenience.
Unfortunately, our health care is no exception.  When we go to our doctor
we usually expect him or her to "give us something " to take care of the
problem so that we can get on with our lives.
 
Our technologically sophisticated medical system is, in many ways, a
response to these attitudes.  Doctors, too, want to believe in
quick-fixes, in wonder drugs and specialized surgery.  And while no one
questions the importance of recent medical advances, other approaches -
which are less high-tech and may work more slowly, but have the advantage
of being cheaper and more empowering for the patient - are often overlooked.
The Parkinson sufferers in this Wednesday class are quietly challenging
this state of affairs.  All take medication to help control their
symptoms. And most were told by their doctor to keep physically active.
 
However, it was through other channels, such as the Parkinson Foundation
of Canada, that they discovered  that Tai Chi is a particularly effective
therapy.
 
Long practised as an all-purpose fitness program, Tai Chi places special
emphasis on keeping the spine and other joints supple. One study found
that 85% of men  aged 55 to 80 who practiced Tai Chi were able to touch
the floor - while only 20% of a similar non-practicing group were.
 
For the participants in this class, the benefits are sometimes hard to
measure.  Some feel that doing Tai Chi has definitely improved their
balance.  They say that using an escalator, for example, isn't as scary
as it used to be. others say that while they can't be sure it's doing any
good, they're certain it isn't causing them harm.
 
Assunta Scaini, their 50-year old instructor, insists that she's seen a
steady improvement in most of them.  Scaini, who was diagnosed with
Parkinsons eight years ago and has been practising Tai Chi for six, is
unable to tolerate large amounts of the drugs which are used to treat
this disease.  She attributes the modest amount of medication she now
takes to the fact that she devotes a few hours a day to Tai Chi.
 
A growing body of  medical opinion appears to agree. The improved
circulation which results from practising Tai Chi, is seen as promoting
drug absorption and minimizing toxic side effects.  In addition, some
doctors have begun to realize that many of the negative changes
associated with Parkinsons are partly a result of decreased physical
activity rather than the disease itself.
 
Perhaps most significantly, though, there is a heightened awareness these
days that patients should be encouraged to be active, rather than
passive, participants in their own health care.