#WushuElixir

Main goal of the project #WushuElixir was to ensure participation in sport and physical activity of elderly people and people with disabilities. According to various studies and researches, Wushu sport and its disciplines proved as being useful in treating a number of human ailments, which inspired the idea for development of project based on collaborative partnership of organisations across Europe. One of the most suitable disciplines of Wushu for the implementation of the project goal is Taichi/Qigong.Project activities are designed to be repeatable through initiating closer cooperation between Wushu associations and target groups. For that purpose the initiation was made to make #WushuElixir programme as continuous event in all partners international locations. Also, as one of the sustainability tools, instruction videos were developed during the project implementation and they were promoted through open licenses (Youtube via Facebook). Instructional videos were developed in order to stimulate target groups to continue #WushuElixir lifestyle after the implementation of project.Unified specialized training programme modules were developed for target groups which has been distributed in 50 training hours for at least 15 people with physical disabilities per each partner organisation.Featured video instructions has been distributed online for all partner organisations participants and public.Active contribution of all project partners was demonstrated by implementation of specialized training programme for target groups (5 associations; 143 participants overall) which was distributed in 50 training hours for 121 elderly people with physical disabilities out of which 84 finished the whole programme with over 70% attendance (Croatia - 28 elderly partcipants; Slovenia - 24 elderly participants; Spain - 20 elderly participants; Belgium - 12 elderly participants).At the start of the training programme each participant's physical condition has been measured by physiotherapists. After the last training, physiotherapists made final measurements of each participants' physical condition. Based on these measurements, the Statistical report "Effects of tai chi/qi gong on the health of the elderly" has been produced. The report showed significant improvement in all measured categories: visual analog scale (VAS), functional reach test (FRT), breathing index, sagittal mobility (cervical & thoracic spine), Schober's test for lumbar spine mobility, wall sitting duration, health-related quality of life (15D QL) and Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ 20) total score. 123 project T-shirts and 100 project USBs (with instructional videos) with project and EU visibility signs were produced and distributed to the target groups. Radio and news-paper article about project were published.After the end of implementation of exercises in scope of the project, majority of the participants continued with exercising in respective partner organisations.Follow-up of #WushuElixir project will lead to preparation of larger scale project involving more partners and larger-scaled goals in EU parameters.