October 1 is National Seniors Day

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Meet super senior Assunta Scaini. For the past 15 years, Assunta has been coming to Providence to help with the weekly Tai Chi class for Hospital patients as part of their therapeutic recreation programming. A long-time Tai Chi participant herself (27 years), she recognizes personally the health benefits of the age-old Chinese art through the practice of relatively slow movements.

“I’ve had Parkinson’s (disease) for 32 years. In the beginning, I tried other therapies and a variety of medications, but nothing was helping. When I went to visit my niece in Montreal to attend a Parkinson’s conference, there was a group of people there doing a Tai Chi demo. They mentioned a woman in Toronto with Parkinson’s who was helped with Tai Chi.”

Serendipitously, she received a flyer at her house for a Taoist arts Tai Chi class at her local high school. She made a point of going to every class for the 10 week session and enjoyed it so much, she signed up for another one. “I met the Master the spring after I started. I would go do Tai Chi at his establishment five to seven times a week.” And the benefits for her 27 years later shine through. “I feel normal. The stiffness is not there. My balance is better because my legs are strong.”

Assunta’s progress with managing her disease has her taking part in a research study that’s following 5,500 people with Parkinson’s. Of that group, she says, “only 25 people have had it longer than me and I’m the only one still taking the subway (when my medications are working).”

She enjoys coming to Providence to chat with everyone and to share the benefits she’s experienced from practicing an art she has grown to love. “The fact that you can do something that you’re told is impossible gives you hope.” And it’s that hope that she’s passing forward.