Workshop Application

The Tai Chi for Health & Falls Injury Prevention Program

--- A Safe, Effective, Targeted, and Evidence-based Exercise Intervention Program to Improve Public Health and Prevent Falls 
--- A National Exercise Training Program for Exercise Leaders, Fitness Trainers, Physiotherapists and Tai Chi and Qigong Instructors. 
　

Fitness Australia National Accreditation Program (Accredited) 
15 CEC points 

National and international media coverage about the 
Tai Chi for Health & Falls Injury Prevention Program

The Tai Chi for Health & Falls Injury Prevention Program was highlighted at the 14th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. This national falls prevention exercise program was also proudly covered in the Quarterly Journal of the International Institute on Aging of United Nations (November 2005, Vol 16) and in the Sydney Morning Sun-Herald, May 7, 2006. Australia Channel 7 TV News 6pm reported interview with the developers of this falls prevention program - Alice Liping Yuan, Henry Zheng and Professor Fred Ehrlich from the University of New South Wales. 5AA Radio South Australia also covered the program at its breakfast show program. Comprehensive information for this program is also available on the national falls prevention website of Royal Australasian College of Physicians:  http//www.fallsprevention.org.au/thaichi.htm 

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Course Accreditation 

The Tai Chi for Health & Falls Injury Prevention Program is jointly developed by Exercise Medicine Australia and Professor Ehrlich, a leading international medical expert in geriatrics, rehabilitation and falls injury prevention from the Faculty of Medicine, the University of New South Wales. This special Tai Chi program for health and falls prevention is a national accreditation program for exercise professionals,  fitness trainers, physiotherapists, and Tai Chi and Qigong instructors involved in physical activity for public health and falls prevention. 


Falls Injury - A National Health priority 

Falls injury prevention is identified as national health priority in Australia. Approximately 1 in every 3 elderly Australians suffers falls and fall-related injuries each year. Falls are by far the most common cause of injury death. About one third of older adults who fall, sustain a hip fracture and are hospitalized, die within a year. The public health care cost for falls and rehabilitation is simply astronomical, with direct medical cost estimated at about AU $2.5 billion and total lifetime cost of AU$ 13.3 billion. With the country’s population becoming increasingly sedentary and aging rapidly, the situation for falls injury continues to worsen. 

Program Information 

The Tai Chi For Health & Falls Injury Prevention Program is a safe, effective, evidence-based and cost-efficient exercise intervention program specially designed for improving public health and preventing falls. The key exercise techniques developed in this comprehensive exercise intervention program are designed to  counteract the major physical, psychological and social risk factors of falls injury. This targeted Tai Chi exercise intervention program works to effectively improve muscle strength and endurance; build bone mass and prevent bone demineralization; improving flexibility and mobility of joints; expanding motion range and movement coordination; improving balance control mechanism, toe clearance and reaction time; boosting confidence and overcoming fear of falling.  

Learning Objectives / Outcome

Participants attending this special accreditation workshop will 

• Develop an understanding of one of the major public health issues in Australia - falls injury and prevention 

• Gain knowledge of the risk factors for falls injury and management 
• Learn and master the exercise techniques developed in this special Tai Chi exercise program to counteract the major physical risk factors for falls injury
• Gain knowledge of the exercise science and techniques involved in the specially designed and targeted Tai Chi intervention program
•  Learn and be able to correctly teach this special Tai Chi intervention program
• Develop