patient falls in U.S. healthcare institutions is staggering. They increase insurance costs, staff pressure, and even more accidental injuries other than falls. Research has shown that there are a number of ways patient falls may be mitigated: more nursing rounds, patient exercise, and body awareness conditioning. Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that is practices for both defense training and health benefits, as well as longevity. The overall theory is to allow the individual to become more flexible, increase strength in certain muscle groups that are not always used in modern life, and to become more aware and attuned to the individual's own body. A 2012 study looked at the effectiveness of tai chi and low-level exercise in reducing falls in older adults, but concluded that there was no difference between the control group and the experimental group over a 1.5-year period. In fact, the study shows that the...
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