{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Promoting Healthy Aging Through Tai Chi \u2014 Episode 158","description":"As you may know, May was Older Americans Month, and NRPA celebrated by sharing how older adult programs in parks and recreation are making a big impact in communities across the country. On today\u2019s episode, we\u2019re excited to explore one of the most popular programs in NRPA\u2019s Healthy Aging in Parks portfolio: Tai Chi. Through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NRPA has been working with park and recreation agencies across the country for the last 11 years to increase the availability of and participation in the CDC\u2019s Arthritis Appropriate Evidence-Based Interventions, which are  Active Living Every Day, Fit & Strong!, EnhanceFitness, Walk With Ease and Tai Chi, which was added to our portfolio in 2022 and has become the most sought-after program through NRPA\u2019s grant application process. As part of NRPA\u2019s Healthy Aging work, park and recreation agencies across the country have trained more than 1,000 instructors, offering more than 2,000 of the evidence-based interventions you mentioned to nearly 29,000 participants through 441 agencies. And while we\u2019re focusing on Tai Chi today, it\u2019s important to highlight that impact across all of these interventions, because it\u2019s pretty incredible. Our guests today know a little bit about Tai Chi and the benefits it provides: Patricia Lawson, a master trainer at the Tai Chi for Health Institute, Carol Briseno, a recreation coordinator at Martin County Parks and Recreation, and Colleen Pittard, a partnership manager at NRPA. Tune in to the full episode below to learn more about this impactful program. You\u2019ll also learn: Why Tai Chi is such a beneficial activity for physical and mental health (and spiritual and social health) for older adults How the community in Martin County has embraced its Tai Chi program How to navigate barriers to older adult programming How findings from NRPA\u2019s Supporting Older Adults through Parks and Recreation report can help inform your programming approach And much more!   Related Links: NRPA\u2019s Healthy Aging in Parks Initiative NRPA\u2019s Supporting Older Adults through Parks and Recreation Report Tai Chi for Health Institute Martin County Parks and Recreation Older Adult Programs ","author_name":"Open Space Radio","author_url":"https:\/\/www.nrpa.org\/blog\/about-open-space-radio-podcast\/","html":"