I'm Mrs Jean Robinson and I live in Exminster in Devon.
I have osteoporosis and a bent spine.
I had a hip operation in January of last year
which was successful at the time
but at the moment I get a lot of pain.
When I try to get out of bed,
the pain is really bad, I can hardly walk.
What Helen told me to do up at the Tai Chi
is always make sure one foot is secure
with your weight on that left foot
and then turn round and put the weight on your right foot
and then you've always got support.
You don't always have the time, I suppose, to be as slow as that,
but subconsciously, once you've got it in your mind,
then you can do it quicker.
That is one of the lessons from Tai Chi.
And it works, too.
I'm just about coping at the moment, with a little help from my daughter.
If it gets very much worse, I won't be able to cope with the house.
If I go out I have to have a stick and a scooter.
If I go into town my daughter will take me.
I've got a wheelchair, a small one, which she can put in the car.
With a stick I could walk out to the car and all that sort of thing,
but I can't walk any distance.
I can't walk from here to the bus stop or anything like that.
I used to drive; I drove up until two years ago.
Then my eyesight failed the test.
I went to the gym up until 12 months ago.
I used to go on the bicycles and the treadmill.
I find now that that sort of exercise is a little bit strenuous for me.
Now I go to Tai Chi at the Victory Hall
which is much better
because it's relaxing, slow and gentle.
So we're just going to start with a few breathing exercises
just to kind of get you here in the place, really.
So relax the shoulders, soften and drop the shoulders.
Soft in the elbows, the wrists, the fingers.
You start off with your feet,
moving your feet in circular movements
and then you work up your body.
Very gentle exercising.
You can sit and do it, the exercises,
or you can stand according to your ability.
I sit most of the time.
I try standing but sometimes I have to sit down.
All those actions are a lesson to know how to keep your balance.
If you want you can take your heel off the ground
just so you're clear about where your weight is.
She tells you to put your right foot down firmly
before you take any pressure off your left foot.
And if you can remember to do that,
of course you're standing on two feet.
Tai Chi is a general workout for the body;
although it looks very slow and very gentle
it does actually bring into play all your muscle groups.
So it's a really good way to increase your strength whatever your age,
whatever your mobility and ability.
Anybody can do it and I say to people
that it's better to do half an exercise
than to do no exercise at all.
There is value in doing a small amount
even if you can't run a marathon.
I get pins and needles in my hands and arms.
My feet are always cold.
If you sit your circulation is not going round,
so therefore if you keep active that helps the circulation.
I find with my condition I have to keep active.
If I don't then I would seize up, I would think.
As long as I possibly can, I will continue to go to Tai Chi.
It's so easy to give in and to just sit and do nothing,
but you've got to be determined and that's how I feel about it.
It's a lonely life on your own
and you've got to make the effort to join in as many things as you can
because you meet some lovely people.
Personally I say whatever you've got to offer, count me in
because I'll always take part.
I try to keep as young as I can, which is difficult sometimes.
When I look in the mirror I think, oh no, that can't be me.
But it is.