In these winter months, physical health is sometimes overshadowed by dropping temperatures and impending holidays. Fitness at any age is a vital part of living a healthy life. Older adults often experience challenges that occur during the aging process that impede fitness goals. Stress, isolation, and mobility issues can prevent older adults from participating in fitness. Silver Sneakers is an organized effort to encourage older adults to get out of the house and engage in exercise.
Established in 1992, Silver Sneakers is an initiative that is offered for free with qualifying health plans. Its goal is to give adults ages 65 and over “unlimited access to thousands of fitness locations across the country.” Participating fitness locations offer equipment like weights, group classes, and other amenities. Silver Sneakers offers specialty classes taught by certified instructors including circuit, cardiofit, stability, and yoga.
Going beyond the gym environment for fitness, Silver Sneakers also offers a program called FLEX. Classes through FLEX are offered at alternate community sites such as apartment buildings and senior centers. New offerings such as hiking groups are being added to the program based on participant suggestions. Another overall goal of the Silver Sneakers initiative is to help participants establish a motivating and friendly social circle.
To learn more about Silver Sneakers, and to locate gyms, classes, and other fitness opportunities in your local area, visit https://www.silversneakers.com. The website can be used to check to see if your health plan covers a free membership to Silver Sneakers.
At Weatherby & Associates, PC, we are invested in helping our clients live a life that is as healthy as possible. Our innovative life care planning program involves a collaboration of legal and social work disciplines. The comprehensive assessments done by our life care coordinator include observations and recommendations that comprise a personalized plan. For more information about our collaborative planning process, call our office at (860) 769-6938.
