Are your AmeriHealth 65 Medicare Advantage patients getting enough physical activity to stay healthy and fit? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults should get at least two hours and 30 minutes of activity, such as brisk walking, every week as well as activity that works the muscles in the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms two or more days per week.¹

Your patients may not be that active, and they may have questions about their ability to exercise, including the following:

• How do I start to increase my activity?
• How often should I work out?
• What can I expect at a gym or fitness center?
• Are there any restrictions on what exercises I can do?

Encourage them to talk with you at their annual exam. Your answers to their questions can help them decide how to improve their fitness level.

SilverSneakers^® can help

An excellent way for your AmeriHealth 65 Medicare Advantage patients to get the activity they need is to use the fitness benefit provided by their health plan ? Healthways SilverSneakers^® Fitness Program. With nearly 20 years of performance-based programming experience, SilverSneakers delivers innovative physical activity and social interventions to attract older adults and keep them engaged in improving their health. The program provides a basic fitness membership that allows participants to:

• access more than 11,000 fitness locations nationwide, including women-only sites;
• use exercise equipment and other amenities, such as pools and walking tracks;
• participate in signature SilverSneakers group fitness classes, designed specifically for active older adults and led by certified instructors;
• learn about relevant health topics;
• join fun social activities and events;
• receive guidance and assistance from a SilverSneakers Program Advisor^SM, a dedicated staff member at the fitness location.

SilverSneakers makes it easy for members to enroll and start using the program. Each AmeriHealth 65 Medicare Advantage member receives a mailing from SilverSneakers that includes their personal SilverSneakers ID card and a list of the four fitness locations closest to their home. They simply take the ID card to the location of their choice and present it at the front desk. Members who haven?t received a card or who have misplaced theirs can call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., ET. Using this number, members can request an ID card to be mailed and get their SilverSneakers ID number, which can be used temporarily until their card arrives in the mail.

Recommend the SilverSneakers Fitness program to your AmeriHealth 65 Medicare Advantage patients. Follow up with them during their next exam to see if they are getting enough physical activity and to discuss strategies to overcome obstacles they mention.

Note: SilverSneakers is offered to AmeriHealth 65^® NJ HMO and AmeriHealth 65^® Preferred HMO members at no cost. For more information on the program, members can visit www.silversneakers.com or call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., ET.

¹cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/olderadults.html

SilverSneakers^® is a registered mark of Healthways, Inc.