SilverSneakers: Fitness Designed for Older Adults

Gyms and health clubs can be very intimidating for many people, including older adults. These days, it might seem like every gym goer looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jane Fonda, but it is important to stay active just the same.

Consistent physical activity helps keep your body healthy as you age and can support your heart, brain, bone, muscle and joint health. Safe exercise will help with chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes and osteoporosis. Beyond that, healthy people are more likely to socialize which is an important factor to healthy aging.

Not everywhere caters to older adults, but if you do a little research, you can find health and fitness programs designed for adults 65+, such as SilverSneakers. This program is included at no extra cost for many Medicare Plans, so you may already qualify. You can check your eligibility here.

SilverSneakers provides:

• Access to on-demand video workouts that can be done anytime from your own home
• Workout plans designed to be completed at your own pace at the local gym
• In-person classes taught by a local fitness instructor

One of the best benefits of SilverSneakers is a basic membership at any participating local gym in their network. You are not limited to just one, but rather can go to any location.

The exercise classes offered vary from gym to gym, but all are taught by instructors specifically trained in senior fitness. Typical classes you can find at your local gym include:

• Cardio and strength classes (many will offer a chair for support)
• Water aerobics classes
• Chair and standing yoga

You can access a variety of instructional videos online, including:

• Cardio
• Strength training
• Fall prevention
• SilverSneaker EnerShi (tai chi)

Interested in trying them out? This article will take you through a quick strength and cardio circuit that you can do right at home!