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Photo from Introduction to Tai Chi session in Caressant Care Long-term Care Harriston.
Photo from Try-it Tai Chi for Seniors in Clifford
A Busy Day, A Growing Community: Why I Keep Sharing Tai Chi
A Busy Day, A Growing Community: Why I Keep Sharing Tai Chi
By Nelda Rodillo | Board-Certified TCHI Instructor | Founder of Vintage Vitality™ | Creator of The Unfreezing Hour™, and Resilience Through Tai Chi™
September 18 was one of those days when I came home tired — but deeply grateful.
It was a very busy day, but it was also a reminder of why I love what I do.
In the morning, I had the privilege of leading a free Try-it Tai Chi for Seniors session at Clifford Community Hall as part of the Town of Minto Culture Days celebration.
I didn't know exactly what to expect.
What I found was a room with warm, curious and welcoming people who were genuinely interested in discovering what Tai Chi might offer them.
We began, as we usually do, with Shibashi Qigong — gentle flowing movements to help the body loosen, the breath settle and the mind arrive in the present moment.
From there, we explored Tai Chi walking and a few foundational movements from Sun-style Tai Chi.
Nothing complicated.
Nothing rushed.
Just an opportunity to move, breathe, explore balance and experience what it feels like to move with greater awareness.
And then something happened that made the morning especially meaningful.
Several participants told me that they had wanted to join my classes but simply couldn't travel to my other locations.
They didn't need another class somewhere else.
They needed a class here.
In Clifford.
That conversation is now leading me to coordinate with the Seniors' Centre for Excellence and Community Services to explore establishing a regular Tai Chi class in the community.
I am thrilled by the enthusiasm.
But more than that, I am reminded of something important:
Community wellness begins by listening.
Sometimes we think we need to convince people to become active.
But perhaps sometimes people are already interested. They simply need an opportunity that is accessible, welcoming and close to home.
Photos from Introduction to Tai Chi session in Caressant Care Long-term Care Harriston, September 18, 2026
Tai Chi is about much more than movement
Tai Chi is about much more than movement
People come to my classes for many different reasons.
Some are interested in fall prevention and improving balance.
Some want to maintain mobility and strength.
Some live with arthritis or other physical limitations and are looking for a gentle way to keep moving.
Some simply want to slow down.
And some come because they want to meet people.
That last one is important.
A Tai Chi class can become a place of connection.
We move together. We laugh together. We encourage one another. We notice when someone is missing. We learn each other's names and, gradually, pieces of each other's stories.
For some people, that social connection may be just as meaningful as the physical practice.
And there is something else I love about Tai Chi: there is no need to prove anything.
You don't have to be athletic.
You don't have to be flexible.
You don't have to get every movement perfectly.
You can begin where you are.
You can work within your comfortable range.
You can sit when you need to.
You can modify.
You can learn gradually.
And you can keep discovering something new about your own body and movement.
Why the evidence matters
Why the evidence matters
My love for Tai Chi is personal, but I also value the growing body of research behind these practices.
Tai Chi is not simply something that “feels good.” There is scientific evidence supporting its role as a form of physical activity, particularly for balance, mobility and fall prevention.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently identifies Tai Chi as an example of an exercise that can strengthen the legs and improve balance as part of fall prevention. CDC also recognizes programs including Tai Chi for Arthritis and Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance among evidence-based physical activity interventions.
The Arthritis Foundation also recognizes Tai Chi as a gentle, low-impact form of exercise and describes evidence for benefits related to balance, flexibility, stress and arthritis-related health.
The World Health Organization likewise includes Tai Chi among physical activities relevant to older adults and identifies Tai Chi as one of the approaches used in fall prevention. WHO recommends that older adults include physical activities emphasizing balance and coordination, along with muscle strengthening, to help prevent falls.
For me, however, the evidence and the human experience belong together.
Research can tell us what a practice may help with.
But a person sitting in front of me can tell me what the practice means in their own life.
From Clifford to Harriston
From Clifford to Harriston
My September 18 didn't end in Clifford.
At 1:30 that afternoon, I had the joy of leading a 30-minute Tai Chi session for staff and guests at Caressant Care Long Term Care in Harriston, where I currently work.
It was especially meaningful because these are people I know.
They are my co-workers.
They are people I see in my workplace.
And I had the opportunity to introduce them to another side of movement — simple, gentle and accessible.
Watching staff and guests participate, relax and enjoy the experience reminded me again that Tai Chi doesn't have to be complicated to be meaningful.
After the session, I continued my regular work at Caressant Care and spent time with the residents.
It was a long day, but a good one.
A very good one.
My work at Caressant Care has become one part of a much larger journey. As my Tai Chi community has grown, I have gradually reduced the amount of time I can work there because I am now teaching in multiple communities and coordinating multiple classes.
And that growth has happened in a way I never could have planned completely.
Word of mouth.
One person tells another.
Someone tries a class.
Someone brings a friend.
A community organization opens its doors.
A senior tells me, “I wish you had a class closer to where I live.”
And suddenly, another possibility begins.
Growing one community at a time
Growing one community at a time
When I first began offering Tai Chi in Palmerston, I had only a few participants and no established teaching venue.
Today, my classes reach people in several communities.
And the journey continues to unfold.
What excites me most is not simply the number of classes.
It is seeing people resonate with this beautiful modality.
I love seeing someone who was hesitant at first discover that they can move.
I love seeing someone become more comfortable with balance.
I love hearing people say that they feel calmer after class.
I love watching friendships form.
I love when someone who thought Tai Chi wasn't “for them” gives it a try and discovers something different.
And I especially love when a community says:
“We need this here.”
That is what happened in Clifford.
And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful parts of this journey.
Tai Chi is often described as an ancient practice.
But every time we bring it into a new community, it becomes part of something very present and very alive.
It becomes a shared experience.
A chance to move.
A chance to breathe.
A chance to connect.
A chance to pause.
And perhaps, in our busy lives, a chance to remember that caring for ourselves doesn't have to be complicated.
Sometimes it begins with one gentle movement.
One breath.
One step.
And one person inviting another to join them.
This is why I keep sharing Tai Chi.
Not because everyone needs to practice it.
But because I have seen what can happen when people are given a welcoming place to move, learn, connect and discover what is still possible.
And I feel very grateful to be part of that journey — one community, one class and one gentle movement at a time.
Move Gently. Live Fully.
Move Gently. Live Fully.
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About the Author
About the Author
Nelda Rodillo is a certified movement educator and the founder of Vintage Vitality™, a holistic wellness philosophy designed to empower adults 50 and older to age with dignity, strength, resilience, and quiet joy.
Her specialized training includes Tai Chi for Arthritis & Fall Prevention, Tai Chi for Rehabilitation, Tai Chi for Osteoporosis, Tai Chi Easy™, Qigong, and Hatha Yoga. She is also a 200-hour Certified Yoga Teacher (YTT-200). Through these practices, Nelda creates gentle, adaptable movement experiences that support balance, mobility, strength, confidence, and mindful connection.
She is the creator of The Unfreezing Hour™, and Resilience Through Tai Chi™ — a specialized Tai Chi practice centered on helping people gently release physical and emotional stiffness and reconnect with a sense of ease, resilience, and possibility.
Through her platform, Daily Movement with Nelda, she bridges community-based wellness across Canada and the Philippines, working with individuals, community organizations, seniors' programs, and wellness initiatives. Her work across small-town Ontario reflects her belief that access to meaningful movement and connection should be part of healthy aging in every community.
Nelda's approach weaves together movement, breath, mindfulness, connection, and reflection. Rooted in both traditional practices and contemporary approaches to active aging, she believes that movement is not simply about staying fit—it is a pathway to maintaining vitality, independence, confidence, and connection throughout life.
At the heart of her work is the philosophy of Vintage Vitality™: aging is not decline, but becoming vintage—stronger, wiser, and full of grace.
Ready to join a class? Click here to find Daily Movement with Nelda on Google Maps and explore our gentle Tai Chi sessions in the Town of Minto. Move with community, confidence, and quiet joy.
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