December 15, 2010, marked a historic day when the first of the ?Baby Boomers?
became eligible to register
for Medicare. That date signaled the start of a wave of 77 million Americans
who will reach the age of 65 in the next 18 years; representing the largest
single generation in United States history. That?s about 8,000 men and women
each day, for the next 18 years, who will turn 65.
Many of your patients who are Baby Boomers ? individuals born between the years
1946 and 1964 ? are coming of age, and there is no question that both the
fitness-conscious members of this population, as well as those who may never
have stepped foot inside a gym before, can benefit from regular physical
activity. Many of your patients who fall into the boomers population have
remained committed to regular physical activity over the decades.
Those boomers who have yet to discover the long-term benefits of exercise are
finding more options than ever when it comes to exercising and staying fit well
into their golden years. With their new Medicare-eligible status, your
patients may be eligible for the Healthways SilverSneakers? Fitness Program,
the nation?s leading exercise program for older adults. AmeriHealth New Jersey
offers the SilverSneakers program to your eligible Medicare Advantage HMO
patients ? giving them access to a wide variety of venues, many of which offer
amenities that include fitness equipment, free weights, treadmills, and aquatic
amenities. The program would provide your patients with the opportunity to make
significant improvements to their health ? all while having fun and making
friends.
Exercise can be life-changing
Exercise at any age is important, but for those who may already be
Medicare-eligible, regular physical activity
could be life-changing. Exercise will do more for your
patients than just make them look better; it plays a key
role in protecting their hearts. A routine exercise program
can lower their chance for a heart attack, cardiovascular
disease, and a variety of other chronic conditions.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that the
SilverSneakers Fitness Program provides tangible health
benefits for high-risk patients. Patients with diabetes
who were active in SilverSneakers were admitted to the
hospital less often, had lower inpatient care costs, and
had significant reduction in overall health care costs after
only a year of participation1.
Share with your patients how regular exercise can also help improve memory and
decrease memory loss:
-
exercise increases levels of brain chemicals that encourage the growth of nerve
cells and may explain why aerobic activity enhances memory skills;
- moderately strenuous physical activity is strongly associated with
successful brain aging.
SilverSneakers makes exercise enjoyable
Encouraging your patients to stay physically active is
a critical part of healthy aging and the SilverSneakers
program will empower them to be more active and
independent. Additionally, SilverSneakers makes
exercising an enjoyable and socially rewarding experience.
SilverSneakers? robust network provides your eligible
patients with access to more than 11,000 participating
fitness and wellness facilities throughout the country.
Additional signature classes, such as YogaStretch and
SilverSplash?, are available at select locations. Remind
your patients that it?s never too late to incorporate fitness
into their lives ? no matter what their age.
For more information about the SilverSneakers Fitness
Program, please visit www.silversneakers.com
or call
1-888-423-4632.
Note: SilverSneakers is offered to AmeriHealth 65? NJ HMO members. To
enroll in the program, members can simply bring their health plan ID card to
any participating SilverSneakers location. For a complete list of locations,
members can visit the SilverSneakers website at www.silversneakers.com or call
1-888-423-4632.