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- Protect Your Body: Try This Tai Chi Move for Safer Transfers
Protect Your Body: Try This Tai Chi Move for Safer Transfers
Tai chi is one of the most complete ergonomic studies of the human body. Each movement has been optimized over centuries of testing, and the form gives us a blueprint of the human body working at its most efficient.
Ben Couch
June 10, 2025
In this edition: |
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• 🎥 Video: The Tai Chi Move Every Caregiver Should Know! 🎞️ |
Health Care’s Dirty Little Secret: Our Ergonomics Are Broken
Caregivers, Be Honest: How’s Your Body Holding Up?
Have you ever felt pain or strain after helping someone stand up?Click your response below. |
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Caregiver’s Corner: You’ve Been Transferring Patients the Hard Way – Try This Instead
When I started in healthcare almost 25 years ago, the number one injury in the nursing field was due to injuries sustained while transferring people — that is, getting them from seated to standing, helping them sit, assisting while walking, getting them in and out of bed, and so on.
This many decades later, want to guess what the number cause is now? Yep. It’s the exact same thing. I’d even bet a shiny nickel that it has been the number one problem going as back for as long as we have statistics.
Our ergonomics are incomplete and our direct care providers are the ones who bear the brunt of that knowledge gap.
To do this, In today’s video above I dig into the body mechanics of Tai Chi and other eastern martial arts to make your transfers safer for you and your loved on.
Tai chi is one of the most complete ergonomic studies of the human body. Each movement has been optimized over centuries of testing, and the form gives us a blueprint of the human body working at its most efficient.
What can this ancient teach us about safer transfers? It turns out, a lot. Today’s video is the tip of a very large iceberg.
If you want to dig deeper into Tai Chi’s benefits, see the links below and stay tuned for more tips in future editions.
📰 This Week in Ergonomics 📰
Want to learn more about Tai Chi mechanics?
T’ai Chi Ch’uan Essentials: The Learning Process of Body Mechanics (Tai Chi Thoughts): if you’d like to do a little bit deeper dive into the mechanics of Tai Chi, this is a nice introduction on some of the physical aspects. (I should mention that there are many styles of Tai Chi, and many different ways to talk about it, but this article presents pretty standard concepts.
The Art of Tai Chi Relaxation Techniques (Song) (Tai Chi Basics): in Tai Chi, “song” is one of the one of the most important concepts. It’s often translated as “relaxing,” but that is a very incomplete translation. This article teases the concept out nicely.
If this newsletter 💌 has helped you, here’s how to help it back 🥰
Putting out this newsletter a few times a week is an awesome feeling! It’s a joy every time I get to put it together.
That said, keeping this going does come with its own challenges — including financial ones. Your support is critical to keeping this resource going strong.
If this newsletter has helped you breathe a little easier, feel a little stronger, or simply reminded you that you're not alone in this journey — and you're in a position to do so — I’d be deeply grateful for a tip to help keep it going.
Hi! I’m Ben, and I’m the author of this newsletter as well as a new book on Amazon: Creating Purposeful Engagement.
Caring for a loved one with dementia can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to keeping them engaged in daily life. In my new book, Creating Purposeful Engagement, I’ll guide you through practical, reliable strategies to spark meaningful moments of connection—whether through conversation, activities, or shared experiences.
Available now on Amazon—click to get your copy today!
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I’ve been a dementia professional for over 20 years, but the fight against this disease has become much more personal for me as I am engaged in my mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease. I started The Dementia Newsletter as well as it’s parent company, elumenEd, to help caregivers — specifically home and family caregivers — gain access to the very best training and information available at an affordable price.
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At The Dementia Newsletter, we’re dementia professionals but we’re not medical doctors or lawyers. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for medical diagnosis, treatment, or any health-related concerns and consult with a lawyer regarding any legal matters.
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