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CANE FOR FOR SENIORS: AN OVERVIEW

By: Debra Stewart MBA, MATLT, CDP, ACC/MC/E/AD/AC                                              Picture Yourself Stronger

A program that I developed for self-defense for seniors dubbed Cane Fu by the Wall Street Journal during their interview for the article “Everybody was Cane Fu Fighting” by Jennifer Levitz has a daily Internet search of over 4,000,000 hits. The author was researching self-defense for seniors when she came upon my program listed in the Sinclair College Lifelong Learning brochure. It has become a nationwide phenomenon, but there are things to consider before you decide to create a program for self-defense for seniors at your facility.

The reason that this self-defense program was created at my facility was that I was looking for novel programming that would create interest in exercise and fall prevention by our independent population. After years of teaching as a 4th degree black belt in Tai Kwon Do, I realized that the front stance is a wonderful mechanism for building balance, grace and coordination. Our consultant for the program, Grandmaster Chung of Chung’s Academy of Martial arts is my master instructor, he has nurtured balance in every age, shape and size possible in the human race, and he believes that martial arts can benefit anyone at any stage of their life.

During the development of the curriculum for the self-defense class, I discussed the parameters with my CEO and Mission Director to be sure that the program was designed to honor our senior population and the mission and values of our organization. For risk management purposes, I finished a masters in teaching and earned several certifications for senior fitness and personal training so that I could blend my martial arts training with the science of senior fitness and physiology to reduce risks and to promote a failure-free environment for our seniors.

The positive benefits of this program is that seniors gain more awareness of the possible dangers in their environment and how to become empowered to structure their travel and personal lives in a more safe manner. For example, non-violent techniques are always explored during each class and seniors are encouraged not to travel with their valuables and to travel with a companion to reduce the interest of would-be attackers. Seniors should also assess their capabilities and seek ways to improve their balance and coordination not only for their optimal health and their optimal functioning, but because it takes a certain amount of strength and balance to defend against any unwanted force. Encouraging seniors to get therapy when needed and to attend a variety of exercise programming is also very important, but they need to do this within the guidelines of their physicians and therapists.

Some of the martial arts defense movements normally required for self-defense requires quick movements and the ability to turn and pivot. I would have to say that in the development of this program all of the normal techniques for self-defense were adapted for each person’s abilities, range of motion, and cognitive discernment. Just like a white belt in martial arts the seniors advance quickly in their abilities and all of their base-line abilities for balance, strength and endurance improved dramatically. It took time and the curriculum was designed for small segments of learning so that it became a journey where a group of techniques became very familiar before new ones were introduced.

The seniors that I have taught using this program enjoy doing something that is challenging and more normalizing than most programs found in health care facilities. The participants became more confident in themselves and in their ability to honestly assess their needs and limitations so that they could decide whether of not they needed additional care, strengthing or support.

Debra Stewart, MBA, MATLT, CDP, ACC, MC. AD. AC.E, ACE PT, Master Instructor for Tae Kwon Do at Chung’s Academy of Martial Arts. For more information about Cane Fu for Seniors, look for Debra's upcoming book, Self-defense for Seniors. Email Debra: pictureyourselfstronger@yahoo.com