Qigong as a therapeutic intervention with older adults

The use of complementary therapies in the United States is growing. One complementary therapy that has received little attention in the nursing literature is Qigong. Qigong is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine and consists of gentle flowing body movements, breathing, and quieting the m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of holistic nursing Vol. 22; no. 4; p. 351
Main Author Kemp, Carol A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.2004
Subjects
Aged
Breathing Exercises
Health Promotion - methods
Holistic Nursing - methods
Humans
Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical
Nursing Evaluation Research
Self Care
United States
United States
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Summary:The use of complementary therapies in the United States is growing. One complementary therapy that has received little attention in the nursing literature is Qigong. Qigong is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine and consists of gentle flowing body movements, breathing, and quieting the mind. Qigong facilitates the movement of qi, the vital life energy, throughout the body, thereby enhancing health and healing disease. Preliminary research indicates that Qigong may be an effective complementary therapy for promoting health and wellness in older adults and an effective adjuvant intervention for managing chronic conditions in older adults. This article provides an overview of Qigong, reviews the English-language research literature on the therapeutic effects of Qigong, discusses the implications of Qigong as a complementary therapy for older adults, and suggests directions for further research on the use of Qigong as a therapeutic approach for older adults.
ISSN:0898-0101
DOI:10.1177/0898010104269313