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SilverSneakers®: Helping Baby Boomers stay active

July 1, 2011

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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. IBC offers the SilverSneakers program to your eligible Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO 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 make 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 Keystone 65 Preferred HMO and Personal Choice 65SM PPO 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.

1http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/8/1562.full

This is not a statement of benefits. Benefits may vary based on state requirements. Benefits Program (HMO, PPO, etc.), and/or employer groups. Providers should call Customer Service for the member's applicable benefits information. Members should be instructed to call the Customer Service telephone number listed on their ID card.

SilverSneakers? is a registered mark of Healthways, Inc., an independent company.


This content was prepared for the Provider News Center and may not be reproduced in any way without the express written permission of Independence Blue Cross. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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