For many of your older patients, keeping active and making healthy choices
becomes more of a struggle once the winter weather and holiday temptations
begin to creep in. Some people even feel blue when the holidays come around.
That?s why now is the perfect time to prepare your patients to take on the
holidays with a healthy mindset and a solid fitness plan to help them bring in
the new year with a new attitude, good habits, and a healthier lifestyle.
The Healthways
SilverSneakers Fitness Program can help your patients stay healthy, physically
and emotionally, throughout the holiday season and beyond! The nation?s
leading exercise program for active older adults, SilverSneakers is a fitness
benefit included with many Medicare plans. Your AmeriHealth 65®
Medicare Advantage patients may be eligible but not yet taking advantage of
their SilverSneakers benefit.
The program offers
AmeriHealth 65 NJ HMO and AmeriHealth 65 Preferred HMO members a fitness
membership with access to more than 13,000 locations nationwide. So even
if members are traveling over the holidays, they can still visit a fitness
center. Members have access to exercise equipment, swimming pools, and fitness
classes* like yoga, water-based strengthening, cardio, and more — all
designed specifically for older adults. A Program Advisor® walks
them through the process step by step, so it?s easy to get started. If the
weather is bad, there are at-home options too.
SilverSneakers isn?t just a
fitness program — it?s a social group. Social outings, walking
groups, and workout buddies are some of the most popular aspects of the
program. In addition to fitness center classes, SilverSneakers organizes
classes and activities at parks, recreation centers, and other local venues
where members can exercise, talk, and visit together, all while working toward
a common goal — wellness! In fact, 37 percent of SilverSneakers members
report they attend class to socialize, 68 percent of members participate in
classes with a friend, and 34 percent participate with a spouse or significant
other. What better way to fight the holiday blues?1
New Year?s Day (January 1) is the day most people decide to commit to big
lifestyle changes, but forming good habits before the cookies, eggnog, and
casseroles hit the table will set your patients up for a successful new year!
Please encourage your patients to use their SilverSneakers benefit to keep
active and even make some new friends over the holiday season.
Refer your AmeriHealth 65 Medicare Advantage patients to the Silver Sneakers website or 1-888-423-4632
(TTY: 711) for more information.
*Amenities vary by location.
1According to Healthways® 2014 SilverSneakers Annual
Participation Survey.
SilverSneakers® is a registered trademark of Healthways,
Inc.