agewell 2020 new 8.21_11-16_final

THE NEW USUAL
How Tai Chi Helps Ms. Rena Anderson Maintain
Some Normalcy During the Pandemic
By Monique Houston
Rena Anderson practicing
Tai Chi with Dr. Gretchen
Swanson.
“Before everything shut
down, I could go places.
Now, I have to stay in the
house,” laments Ms. Rena
Anderson, a self-proclaimed
independent person. Ms.
Anderson enjoys socializing
with her friends and being
a member of The Crochet
Club at Silverado Park.
“Now, my friends and I keep
in contact with each other
over the phone, because
we’re used to seeing each
other and want to make sure
no one is sick,” Ms. Anderson
explains, expressing how
she misses her face-to-face
weekly club meetings.
Although she is unable
to get around as freely as
before the COVID-19 pandemic,
Ms. Anderson has not
allowed quarantine stop her
from getting adequate exercise.
She has modified her
workout regimen to include
the principals of Tai Chi that
she learned from Dr. Gretchen
Swanson from The Heart
of Ida. During the pandemic
Heart of Ida has provided
the community with Tai
Chi To Me, an initiative to
bring exercise to people
where they live. Ms. Anderson
follows the provided
schedule of exercises twice
a week from the comfort of
her home and is appreciative
that her fitness routine
hasn’t suffered much during
this time. “Tai Chi gives me
something to do and I’ve
always enjoyed exercise.
Being able to practice from
home is still enjoyable,” she
says.
Since people are spending
more time indoors these
days, Ms. Anderson encourages
everyone to regularly
check in on friends and outof-town
relatives. She also
reminds everyone to “Get
checked for the coronavirus,
whether you think you have
it or not, because you may
have it and can pass it onto
someone else.”
24 | AgeWell Long Beach | Fall / Winter 2020