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Tai Chi instructor offers exercise, peace of mind BY DANIEL SCHWAB For Essex resident Tony oore, a soft-spoken 72ear-old gentleman, there is higher plane to life - and ai Chi is a part of it. Moore has been teaching he martial art at the Essex etirees Social Club to senors for the past five years. "Tai Chi definitely has a ig influence on my life," oore said. "I'll probably each until I die." Moore hates using the erm "elderly." He wears an arring and wakes every orning at 5:30 a.m. to walk around town." He hen heads to the Essex istrict High School track at 0 a.m. for a few laps. Even hough he wears a pacemakr with a defibrillator, oore's life philosophy has emained the same no mater what age he reaches. "We don't have to get ld," he says. "You never ive up learning. That's the ice thing about (Tai Chi), ou can do it until the day you die." Moore teaches the Yang style of Tai Chi. He describes it as a "soft" form of martial arts, a characteristic he had trouble adjusting to when he first started taking classes at the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County in 1992. Moore was introduced to Tai Chi while his wife Judy battled cancer. She passed away three years later. "Everything I had done up to that point was hard football, lacrosse, boxing," Moore said. "We decided to take it as a stress-reliever," Moore said. "It worked out very well. Just before my wife passed away, the fellow who was teaching the class also got ill, and they asked me if I would take it over." Moore ended up teaching the class for several years, and then moved on to instructing students at the Alzheimer Society of Windsor-Essex County. "It' s not something you Community Profile just learn in 10 minutes," he chuckled. Part of the Tai Chi precept, Moore says, is to pass on what you learn to others. Student Jerry Lester has been in the social club class four years. "I love it," Lester says. "A lot of what I love about it is (Moore). He's very serious about Tai Chi but he loves to joke." When it comes to teaching, Moore says it's important for him to create a relaxed atmosphere for students in the class. "There's a lot of humour," he said. "Despite some of them having physical problems, they get humour out of the class, which to me is a big thing. There's peer support for each other." Regularly, eight to 15 seniors attend Moore's class. For a beginner, the first step is having a talk with the instructor. "What I do is relate it to when they went to school and were learning their Wednesday, September 13, 2006 · Page 11 A RELAXING ART ­ Seventy-two-yearold Tai Chi instructor Tony Moore demonstrates the "wave hands as clouds" exercise in his backyard Sept. 6. Moore teaches the martial art to seniors at the Essex Retirees Social Club Tuesday afternoons. He says the "wave hands as clouds" exercise helps strengthen muscles in the shoulders, back, neck, hips and waist. ABCs," Moore said. "They didn't learn the whole alphabet all at once. So what they have to do is, mainly, learn to relax." Moore says the fluid motions and flexibility encompassed in Tai Chi exercises muscles in the back, shoulders and neck. There are moves that he often has to modify for his less spry students. "When people get to that age," Moore says, "it's not only the physical benefits but it's having to use their mind to remember the moves. I stress it is a martial art, but when I was at (the Alzheimer Society) we did the class sitting down. So that's how vastly you can change the style to accommodate the people who are doing it." Moore's second wife, Joanne Laforet, said the physical benefits have been so rewarding to some sen- iors that she's "watched people ride into the class on wheel chairs and leave walking." "I've met many of the seniors (Moore) teaches and they're all very pleased," Laforet said. "They say he's very understanding and will take the time to stay after class if they need it." Tai Chi is offered at the retirees social club on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. New members are welcome. ANNOUNCING ... Helping You Control Your World HEATING & COOLING TO SERVE YOU BETTER - 10 AM - 5 PM DAILY CONGRATULATIONS ... winners of the 2006 Gosfield North Communications We're program. your bursary proud ofWe wish you and all applicants achievements. a successful school year. Larry Patterson ­ Chair Ed Gibbs ­ Director Linda Stevenson ­ Director SAT. SEPT. 16 OPENING NOW OPEN IN ESSEX! (ACROSS FROM ZEHRS) to Vanessa Harnish and Ashlyne O'Neil, Pick Your Own Orchards Ltd. APPLES Featuring ROYAL GALA, McINTOSH, EMPIRE, HONEY CRISP Wayne Gunning ­ Vice Chair Marion Phaneuf ­ Director Paul Meanwell ­ General Manager New Phone Number: 519-776-4021 "FREE - 20# Apples when you pick 60# ·Apple Fritters ·Sausage On A Bun ·Caramel Apples ·Play Area for the kids ·Corn Maze 519-839-4734 www.gosfieldtel.com 2 1/2 miles east of Leamington on Hwy #3 326-5873 = COATS FOR KIDS ­ the annual campaign is now on. Every year a network of community agencies across WindsorEssex County work together to distribute winter coats to children and families in need. We rely on the community to donate gently used coats to this program. Coats can be dropped off at Essex Community Services, until Oct 31. ALZHEIMER SOCIETY OF WINDSOR & ESSEX COUNTY ­ PRESENTS: TRANSITIONS INFORMATION WORKSHOP; THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2006 from 8:30am to 12pm. This workshop is for caregivers of persons with dementia. It is being offered at the Centres for Seniors, 635 McEwan Windsor. Free parking is available and light refreshments will be served. You must pre-register for this workshop by calling (519) 974-2220. Some of the issues that will be discussed are; how do I know when it's time to consider LongTerm care placement for my loved one? Are there alternatives to Long-Term Care placement? Are there services to help me during the waiting period? How do I begin the application process? Anyone interested is encouraged to call and register as space is limited. WHAT IS ALZHEIMER DISEASE? It is a degenerative brain disorder and the leading cause of dementia. Symptoms include loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, difficulty with day-to-day functions and changes in mood and behaviour. Sometimes, people fail to recognize that these symptoms indicate that something is wrong. They may mistakenly assume that such behaviour is a normal part of aging ­ it isn't. Symptoms may develop gradually and go unnoticed for a long time. It is important to see your doctor when you recognize these symptoms as they may be due to other treatable conditions. If the diagnosis is Alzheimer Disease, help is available. The Alzheimer Society of Windsor and Essex County is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those affected by Alzheimer Disease or other dementias. They provide education, support services, advocacy and research and can be reached at 974-2220. ALZHEIMER PAMPHLETS - Here at Essex Community Services, we carry a variety of pamphlets on Alzheimer Disease including: Dispelling the Myths, Is It Alzheimer Disease ­ 10 Warning Signs, Getting a Diagnosis, First Steps, and Caring for Someone with Alzheimer Disease. Pick up your free copies today. For more information on any of these items, please call 776-4231. The Maidstone Bicentennial Museum 1093 Puce Rd. S. The 3 Annual rd FEATURING: Close Enough, The Walstedts, Todd Porter and the Fiddle Pals Fabulous Fiddles and Friends Presents... Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy old Fashion Fun, Friends and Food. SUNDAY, SEPT. 17 · 2 P.M. TO 5 P.M. ADMISSION $5.00 519-728-1587 Contact Info: