The Role of Therapeutic Qigong in the Active Aging

The Role of Therapeutic Qigong in the Active Aging 

Qigong as a resource for a better life in elderly

Margarida Sá Domingues

For the first time in history, from the end of the 20th century, most people could expect to live to the age of 60 or beyond… Today, any child can expect to live 20 years longer than they did in the 1950s.
With the increase in the average life expectancy and the sharp drops in fertility/births, populations are rapidly ageing across the planet. It is necessary and urgent to take care of the health of this age group.
We can describe ageing as a process of decreasing organic and functional capacities that arise over time and can be found at a biological, psychological, and social level. Ageing does not have to be linked to the disease, although it is more common at these ages.

Therapeutic Chi Kung is a therapeutic practice proven to be excellent for this age group, it is a precious resource for seniors as it adapts to their different abilities, promotes, and improves health, encourages autonomy, and fully lives this new phase. And all this is fundamental when the elderly, who in other times were considered the guardian of knowledge, lost importance in contemporary society and became a problem. Many just survive… they don’t experience an active and full life.
However, society is evolving towards new ways of thinking, acting, and living, which leads to the recovery of traditional values such as the preservation of the Earth and Natural Resources and Family and Community Life, where the Senior has its importance.
It was common in the old days, in different cultures, the representation of the elderly associated with wisdom. It is this vision of the “Wise Age” that is important to recover.
Therapeutic Qigong for Seniors, and beyond, is one of the best strategies to preserve levels of functionality and independence.

Its aim is to promote the ability to take care of themselves and not be dependent on others. Mainly being autonomous. But this extends to all ages! We are the centre. We are the ones who choose what we want to do with our lives and how we age. And it is throughout life that one prepares for old age.
Therapeutic Qigong consists of a set of practices that cultivate energy and promote health and longevity. With slow and harmonious movements, muscles, tendons, joints, and breathing are worked. Promotes mental and emotional tranquillity. Its focus is on working breathing, concentration, and movement.
By working on breathing, the body relaxes, and the muscles lengthen, gaining flexibility. Flexibility allows you to strengthen the muscle and avoid pain. A strong muscle helps balance and prevent falls, which are an increased risk for seniors.
By working on concentration, the mind learns to be in the present moment and focused on what you are doing. Feel the movement we are performing, without thinking about the movement that follows. Slowness and repetition are strong tools in body awareness work. With the slowness, we feel each movement and the various parts of the body that are being requested and their complexity. With repetition, we perfect the movement and can focus our attention on different details. This awareness brings us rootedness, stability, and a sense of presence. By feeling our centre, we feel more alive, and we are more aware of ourselves.
In the Universe, everything is in motion. Many of the problems arise from stagnation. Movement brings fluidity and allows our body and organs to function harmoniously and healthy. The movement works all the systems of the body: the cardiovascular system helps the heart, the lymphatic system helps to reduce the retention of liquids and toxins, the respiratory system helps to reduce stress, induces relaxation, and improves and strengthens the digestive, sensory systems, excretory, urinary, reproductive, skeletal, muscular, immunological, endocrine, and nervous.
Therapeutic Qigong promotes the balance of the organism and is a key element in maintaining senior Autonomy and Independence consequently improving their quality of life.

The regular practice of Therapeutic Qigong brings a healthy life expectancy – physical and psychological. When practising in a group, Socialization is also promoted, as the meeting of new friends and sometimes the discovery of new activities essential to the well-being and mental health of the human being.
There are several regions on our planet where longevity is healthy and common. For example Okinawa Island in Japan, Abkhazia in the Caucasus, Simi Island in Greece, Campodimele Village in Italy, Humza Valley in Pakistan, Vilcabamba City in Ecuador, Bama Autonomous County in Rugao, Jiangsu Province and Zhouxiang in Hubei Province in China, among others.
In common, all these regions show respect and appreciation for the elderly, where everyone has an active social life, practices a simple diet, without exaggeration, and Movement is always present in everyday life.
Senior Empowerment is currently spoken of as a “Process of devolution of powers to the elderly, creating the foundations of self-esteem and self-determination essential for active participation in society”. This is healthy ageing and Therapeutic Qigong is undoubtedly one of the best tools to achieve this.
A simple but at the same time profound practice that adapts to anyone.