Tai Chi Classes to be held at Senior Wellness Center

The Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services  will offer this fall classes in tai chi, a Chinese martial art also practiced for its benefit in improving flexibility and balance, for those age 60 and older. A free demonstration of the program will be offered on Monday at the Senior Wellness Center at 2 p.m., at 202 Mount Airy Road, Basking Ridge.

Using slow, fluid movements, the gentle Chinese practice seems tailor-made for easing sore joints and muscles, according to information from the county's office on aging.

The Senior Wellness Center will be the location for the Arthritis Foundation's six-week program in tai chi, to start on Monday, Sept. 20.

Cost is $30.  Sessions for beginners will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Intermediate classes will be offered from 1 to 2 p.m. Space is limited, and advance registration is requested.

County residents may also take classes at the Warrenbrook Senior Center at 500 Warrenville Road in Warren. That location will offer eight weeks of tai chi classes for beginners from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., starting on Tues., Sept. 21. The cost for eight-week programs is $40.

Washington School Gym, in Raritan at 614 First Ave., will host eight weeks of sessions that also will start on Sept. 21. Beginner classes will be held at noon and intermediate classes will begin at 12:45 p.m. at that location.

Registration forms should be completed in advance for all classes.  To obtain a registration form, call the Office on Aging at 908-704-6346.

Payment and completed registration forms should be mailed to Barbara Karpinski, Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services, P.O. box 3000, Somerville, 08876. Checks can be made payable to the Somerset County Office on Aging (SCOOADS).

Tai chi is performed without deep knee bending.  The program is based on shifting body weight through a series of light, controlled movements that flow rhythmically together into one long graceful gesture.  Some studies have shown that regular tai chi practice can help reduce falls in the elderly or those with balance disorders, according to information from the county office on aging.

For more information, contact Erin Toomey, Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services, at (908) 704-6346 or toomey@co.somerset.nj.us.