Aging Gracefully: The Multitude of Potential Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors

Do your joints ever feel stiff? Are your muscles experiencing weakness? Does dizziness or loss of balance ever interrupt your day? 

It may be time to get in the flow with Tai Chi, a gentle, low-impact way to build strength and improve balance.

Tai Chi can be practiced by people of any age. It is not strenuous, but gently encourages energy to flow through the body. It can be used as an effective method for healing and maintaining good health. Through regular practice, seniors may improve flexibility and coordination, relieve stress, and boost energy. 

Imagine experiencing meditation in motion, flowing through a relaxed, deliberate dance using strength and grace. 

Let’s take it slow and steady — join us on a journey as we explain what Tai Chi is and explore the many potential benefits that Tai Chi may bring to seniors.

Table of Contents

• What Is Tai Chi?
• What Are the Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors?
• How Often Should Seniors Do Tai Chi?
• 9 Potential Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors
• Is Tai Chi Better Than Yoga for Seniors?
• Senior Services of America: Encouraging Seniors To Live Active, Healthy Lifestyles 

What Is Tai Chi?

Tai chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that has evolved into a form of exercise and meditation. It is considered a mind-body exercise. Your breath, awareness, and movement work together in tai chi to glide through physical positions slowly and mindfully. 

As you plant your feet into the ground you shift your weight from your right to left leg and back as you do various movements that flow from one to the next. The health benefits of tai chi for seniors may be further encouraged by the gentle breathing that relaxes the mind. 

While the mind is calm, intentional thought commands the movement of fluid, circular motions. The mind and body can flow in synchronized harmony, which may generate a new level of healing energy within your body.

What Are the Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors?

Tai chi is an ideal exercise for older adults due to its low-impact nature and slow, careful movements. Not only is the practice interesting and enjoyable, but it has also been proven to enhance physical and mental well-being. 

Tai chi benefits for seniors include:

• Improved balance and stability
• Opportunity for social interaction
• Enhanced flexibility and range of motion
• Overall strengthening
• Increased pain relief
• Reduced stress
• Enhanced cognitive function
• Heightened emotional wellness
• Prevention of bone loss

How Often Should Seniors Do Tai Chi?

You can do tai chi as often as you like! 

Of course, the more routinely you practice, the better results you will produce. If you can practice for ten minutes every single day, or for thirty minutes a couple of days a week, tai chi can promote considerable health benefits, especially for seniors. 

Regular physical activity is extremely important for an older adult’s health. If health conditions allow, it is suggested that older adults and seniors attempt 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week. 

With all of the health benefits of tai chi for seniors, why not make tai chi part of your recommended weekly aerobic activity? 

Senior Services of America communities strive to keep their residents active and engaged mentally, physically, and emotionally. This is why they offer regularly scheduled organized activities, physical therapy, and assistance whenever needed. 

9 Potential Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors

#1: Improved Balance and Stability

Research indicates that tai chi is an effective exercise for preventing falls and improving balance in older adults, whether they are healthy or at high risk for falling.

About 36 million falls are reported among older adults each year, with approximately 32,000 deaths resulting from fall-related injuries. Falls are one of the most significant hazards for older adults, so it’s no wonder that the fear of falling may deter seniors from doing many activities.

The slow, intentional footwork of tai chi can bring more awareness to the soles of your feet, your ankle angle, and weight distribution. Since you are constantly shifting your weight back and forth, you may become more comfortable being able to balance in different positions. 

Improving balance and stability is immensely valuable in common everyday walking scenarios. The benefits of tai chi for seniors may provide the practice needed to build strength in balance. This is especially helpful if you come across uneven pavement while walking or navigating a busy sidewalk.

#2: Opportunity for Social Interaction

Although tai chi requires individual focus, studies have shown when performed as a group it may promote social interaction. Connection to a community can be gained when you tap into a shared experience such as tai chi. 

Social interaction is vital in creating healthy relationships and improving overall social wellness. Tai chi may encourage strong social networks, resulting in several health benefits including:

• Longer lifespan
• Better immune function
• Stronger resilience to stress
• Higher self-esteem
• Healthier cardiovascular functioning

A senior living community can be beneficial for seniors and their families who are concerned about social isolation. Senior residents enjoy regularly planned activities, exercise classes, interest groups, and social events that can help build positive social habits and support systems designed to enhance quality of life.

#3: Enhanced Flexibility and Range of Motion

One of the benefits of tai chi for seniors is increased range of motion and flexibility. The gentle flow of movements puts minimal stress on the muscles and joints. When you do tai chi, you’re building strength in a subtle way. 

Your body weight is all you need! 

Remember, these are moving meditations, not high-intensity workouts.

Unlike cardio workouts that can strain your joints and muscles, tai chi can broaden your range of motion, which is critical in preventing stiffness and helping the body move more freely.

One study designed to examine gait parameters and musculoskeletal flexibility in older adult females found that after 8 weeks of tai chi training, gait speed was significantly increased. The study also found that tai chi can increase flexibility in the hip, pelvis, knee, and ankle.  

Tai chi can improve flexibility and, as a result, the range of motion in your joints. Better flexibility may:

• Decrease your risk of injuries
• Help your joints move through their full range of motion
• Increase muscle blood flow
• Improve posture
• Decrease muscle tension
• Help relieve pain

Further research suggests that tai chi may improve swollen joints. After 12 weeks of regular tai chi instruction, patients reported feeling more confident in their everyday movements like picking up something off of the floor. Patients also expressed improvement in walking by being able to walk longer, faster, and with better balance, stability, coordination, and less pain.

#4: Overall Strengthening

In tai chi, all movement is directed by the mind and driven by the center. That connection is strong, balanced, and continuous, even in stillness. 

When practiced regularly, tai chi can be comparable to resistance training. Although you are not using weights or bands, the unsupported arm exercises and movements in tai chi practice may strengthen your upper body.

Research shows that tai chi can strengthen lower limbs and enhance balance control. 

Your core may also be strengthened due to the proper posture and alignment of your stomach muscles and spine during the movement of the many tai chi postures. 

Like any exercise routine designed to strengthen, when done consistently, tai chi may lead to improved muscle tone and overall physical strength.

Strong muscles help you stay independent and make everyday activities feel easier, like climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. 

#5: Increased Pain Relief

One alleviating health benefit of tai chi for seniors may be an increase in chronic pain relief. Being physically active can improve blood flow to the brain and body, which may relieve pain caused by inactive joints and muscles.

Research using 18 randomized controlled groups found that tai chi shows positive evidence of immediate relief of chronic pain from osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the joints that causes stiffness and pain, causing joint damage over time. 

Tai chi may improve muscle strength and coordination, which leads to better joint stability and a decrease in pain and stiffness. 

Living with pain and fatigue can take an emotional toll. Depression is four times more common among people with persistent pain compared to those without pain. Tai chi is mindful and relaxing, focused on breath and the present moment. Reasons why tai chi may alleviate the vicious cycle of pain and depression include its:

• Slow pace 
• Controlled movements
• Focused attention
• Body awareness
• Breathing and relaxation
• Concentration
• Mindfulness
• Community and social contact

If you live with chronic pain, tai chi may be a non-invasive way to help manage those symptoms that interfere with your daily life.  

#6: Reduced Stress

Have you ever been to a park and seen a group of people doing tai chi?

It’s easy to become mesmerized by the calm, graceful movements that seem to float in unison. Physically doing tai chi can achieve the same emotion: complete and utter peace. 

It’s difficult to experience stress when both your mind and body are undergoing a harmonious balance of deep relaxation and meditation. 

Go ahead, try it. It’s nearly impossible!

That’s because people who meditate regularly enjoy lower stress levels, increased well-being, and even lowered blood pressure and resting heart rate. Studies on the physiological changes during meditation have shown that meditation counteracts many stress responses, presumably by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

Tai chi applies deep, rhythmic breathing techniques and mental focus, which may help seniors reduce stress, promote tranquility, and improve emotional well-being.

#7: Enhanced Cognitive Function

Evidence suggests that older adults are at higher risk for cognitive impairment. 

However, one promising way to enhance cognitive function in older adults is through exercise. Exercise through the movements of tai chi can improve:

• Task-related cognitive function
• Brain connectivity
• Increased brain volume (promoting brain plasticity and memory)
• Mental capacity and concentration

One potential strategy to combat cognitive decline is through the combined exercise of both the body and mind. In addition to being a form of physical exercise, tai chi also exercises the mind through memorization of sequences of postures, concentration, and meditation.  

Living in a senior living community may be beneficial in helping to maintain familiar, consistent mind and body activities to enhance cognitive function. Senior Service of America communities offer a holistic approach to memory care based on these eight core components:

• Physical activity
• Good nutrition
• Social interaction
• Mental stimulation
• Life-enrichment activities
• Emotional support
• Artistic expression
• Personal care and activities of daily living

#8: Heightened Emotional Wellness

Research suggests that tai chi is associated with significant decreases in sadness, confusion, tension, and fear as well as increases in energy and happiness, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. 

Some studies have shown that older adults who perform tai chi regularly have reported improved quality of sleep due to combined tai chi and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Here are some health benefits of getting better sleep:

• Boosts memory and learning
• Reduces risk of injury
• Strengthens immune system
• Increases attention span
• Improves mood
• Advances creativity and problem-solving

With considerable evidence supporting various physiological and psychological benefits to older adults, tai chi can be a worthwhile way to promote healthy aging for seniors. 

#9: Prevention of Bone Loss

As we get older, we begin to lose more bone than we build. If the loss of bone mass goes too far, it’s called osteoporosis.

Bone density starts to decrease with lowered levels of estrogen around the time of menopause. It then continues to decrease after menopause, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.

In fact, research indicates that up to 20% of bone loss can happen during menopause and approximately 1 in 10 women over the age of 60 are affected by osteoporosis worldwide.

Luckily, tai chi benefits for seniors include the possibility of improving bone mass density in postmenopausal women. Since tai chi is a weight-bearing exercise, it may stimulate bone growth and slow down the rate of bone loss. 

Tai chi can also positively impact other risk factors associated with low bone mass density such as reducing falls that may lead to fractures and increased musculoskeletal strength.

Is Tai Chi Better Than Yoga for Seniors?

Both tai chi and yoga are gentle, low-intensity exercises. Both are good for the mind and the body. Both have been demonstrated to be especially beneficial for seniors.  

How do you choose which is better for you?

The answer: it depends on your health goals and what you prefer.

Tai chi focuses on one slow, continuous sequence of positions. Yoga is concentrated on poses and maintaining those poses for a certain amount of time before transitioning to the next. 

Tai chi and yoga share many physical and mental health benefits. Both mind-body exercises may:

• Build muscle mass and endurance
• Help manage chronic pain
• Increase flexibility
• Boost mood and mental health
• Enhance cognitive function

Strong research indicates that tai chi may be better for balance and yoga for increased flexibility. So, if your health goal is fall prevention, tai chi might be the perfect place to start. 

Senior Services of America: Encouraging Seniors To Live Active, Healthy Lifestyles 

Senior Services of America communities have a genuine desire to help seniors live more fulfilling lives through active and healthy lifestyles. 

Our communities strive for our residents to be as independent as possible by ensuring they stay active, healthy, and involved in our community. They offer regularly scheduled exercise and wellness programs as well as social and recreational activities that encourage our seniors to engage in activity. 

To learn more about our facilities and the range of amenities they offer, find your nearest community today.